The Organised Private Sector (OPS) and entrepreneurs across the country have kicked over the proposed National Minimum Wages between the federal government and the labour.
Their grumble was as a result of the impact the national minimum wages will have on their businesses when it finally becomes law.
A proposed salary of N62,000 is currently before the president for ascent, even as labour is still pushing for at least N100,000 which OPS said they don’t have the financial muscle to pay.
Hence, the Organised Private Sector (OPS) has expressed concern over the continuous agitation over New National Minimum Wage, adding that, pushing beyond N62 000 may force members of the sector to downsize.
This is even as the Federation of Informal Workers of Nigeria (FIWON) has expressed its readiness to adopt whatever may be the outcome of the negotiations between Labour and federal government.
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The director general of NECA, Adeyemi-Smatt Oyerinde, has sounded the note of warning against overstretching the employers of Labour in OPS that has already be pushed to the wall by current economic crunch.
According to Oyerinde, the current economic situation has made the negotiations much more difficult for every one.
He noted that, ‘it should be emphasised that what the Committee was mandated to discuss was a new national minimum wage, not a general salary increase.’
Lamenting that many businesses, following their inability to weather the storm, have already left the country, this negotiations, he added, could be another condition that would affect them.
Meanwhile, Professor of Water Resources, Environmental Engineering and Civil Engineering of Redeemers University, Ede, Prof. Ife Adewunmi has weighed in on the minimum wage debate, and has a divergent view to the Labour Union’s demand.
The don, who was a scholar of Obafemi Awolowo University, stated that, he opposed the salary increase for now as this would cause a domino effect.
“Even though I am a Trade Unionist (I was OAU ASUU Chairman 2008-11) and stood against exploitation of all staff when the University was illegally deducting 7.5% again as Pensions deduction after it has been removed from source into PenCom Account. We eventually got part of it back after a non-violent struggle that lasted about 3 years!”
Prof Adewunmi added that , “Why I oppose salary increase is the Domino effect of hyperflation that will follow such increase because the new increase will not go into production but consumption. What Labour and Nigerians should insist to be done is the creation of enabling environment for incrrased productivity.
“It is wicked of the government to increase tarrif on electricity Bill. Power supply that is insufficient and epilectic should even have a reduction in charges! Instead of overcentralization, each State or Region should generate the power to the Grids of private Power Companies just as there are different Network providers.
The scholar, while speaking further, noted that, “the total formal sector working population is less than 14% of the country. The Iyalojas, Commuter operators, the artisans, farmers and even the Bukateria operators are waiting to hear the “good news of increased government workers’ salary to calculate their own increase in their own goods or services!
“Remember, we are yet to adjust to increse in fuel pump prices from N165 to N680-900 depending on the fuel station! You also know the proportionate increse in other things in kuding cooking gas. People are now back to thr firewood and charcoal stoves era of the 1960s!”
Adewunmi stated that, the labour union, rather than ask for salary increase of minimum wage, should demand for social reliefs such as regular provision of social amenities like adequate subsidised commuter bus services by local and state governments, adequate public water supply, electricity supply, adequate security to protect farmers engaged in food production.
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