HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES TO SET UP COMMITTEE FOR THE PAYMENT OF LIVING WAGE 06-03-24
By Sadiq Aminu The House of Representatives to Set up Committee for the payment of Living Wage to Nigerian Workers.
The resolution by the House was sequel to a motion sponsored by the House Minority Leader Mr Kingsley Chinda and thirty nine other members.
The Minority Leader expressed concern that presently, no labourer can live in Nigeria with a wage of less than one hundred thousand
Naira going by situation of things in the country, hence the need for immediate and pragmatic steps to improve the income of Nigerians.
The House noted that the rising rate of inflation in the country, has made it difficult for average Nigerian to afford
basic needs such as food, water, housing, education, healthcare, transportation, and clothing.
“Concerned that according to the World Bank report, low purchasing power in the country occasioned by a
high inflationary rate, has led to an increase in poverty across the country”
“More Nigerians will go down the economic line, with the poor population increasing, this, in effect, would
lead to desperation and a loss of faith in the government”
According to the Minority Leader, despite measures introduce by the Federal Government to cushion the effects of subsidy removal the cost of living remained high and unbearable for many Nigerians.
“The fuel subsidy was removed in May 2023, the federal government offered palliatives to cushion its effects. However, the ameliorative effect of this measure has been overtaken by the continued rise in the cost of goods and services; purchasing power is low owing to the continued rise in the cost of living in the country and the fall of the
Naira”
Adopting the motion the House resolved to Set up an Ad-hoc committee to look into modalities for the payment of living wages to Nigerian
workers at rates that match economic realities
The House also resolved to transmit the resolution to the Senate for concurrence.
The Motion was referred to Committees on Finance, Labor, employment and Productivity and National Planning and Economic Development for further legislative action.