The organised labour in Rivers has insisted on N66,500 as national minimum wage for the workers in the country.
They said this on Friday in Port Harcourt when leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) held public hearing on national minimum wage.
According to themthe existing N18, 000 minimum wage is of no economic significance in the present economic situation.
Mrs Beatrice Otobo and Austine Jonathan, NLC and TUC chairmen in the state, said the proposed N66, 500 was not “a take home due to deductions- tax, and compulsory pension contributions. It is not a take home because of tax deductions among others,’’ she said.
Jonathan noted that part of the proposed N66, 500 would go to healthcare, saying the menacing black soot was killing Rivers workers (residents).
The labour leaders also demanded upward review of workers’ salary every five years as well as building of social infrastructure to check high cost of living.
The unionists also made a case for pensioners, saying that some pensioners received below N10, 000 per month.
Earlier, Dr Chris Ngige, labour Minister and chairman of the tripartite committee on national minimum wage, said the hearing was to enable government arrive at a acceptable national minimum wage.
“The minimum wage that could secure goods (food) and services for Nigerian workers. At the end of the public hearing, we will collate contributions and arrive at an acceptable wage for Nigerian workers,” Ngige said
In his contribution, Gov. Emmanuel Udom of Akwa Ibom called for a review of the revenue sharing formula.
Represented by Mrs Ekerebong Akpan, Head of Service, (HOS), the governor said the present minimum wage was not adequate for today’s workers.
“Today, workers’ wage cannot take them home. There is the need to note what each state can pay.” he said.
According to Udom, government will be able to “absolve” the different between the N18, 000 minimum wage and the proposed N66, 500.
He said that the Federal Government could increase workers’ salary without publicity, adding that it could be done without announcing it.