Gbajabiamila Seeks Improved Minimum Wage for Workers

Onyebuchi Ezigbo

The Speaker, House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila has advocated for reasonable minimum living wage that will serve as a social protection cover for workers in Nigeria.

Also the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Ayuba Wabba, has called for a new social contract that will guarantee universal social protection coverage to ameliorate the suffering of the people.

Speaking at the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Roundtable on Social Protection Cover in Abuja, on the theme “Expanding Social Protection Cover and Ensuring Effective Implementation in Nigeria”, the Speaker said that it was the duty of the government to ensure that there was suitable and adequate shelter and food for the people.

“There should be old age care and pensions, care for the unemployment, sick persons and welfare for the disabled should be provided.

“This is how we will ensure that the people born in Nigeria can live life of accomplishment and contribute to the society meaningfully all through their life,” he said.

While describing social protection as one of the most important responsibilities that proved how the government lived up to its constitutional obligations, he that the house would ensure that there was a collective agreement on what it would take to achieve the best vision for Nigeria and welfare of our people.

“Many of us may not realise it, but there is a strong correlation between lack of social protection, poverty and crime.

Social protection legitimises the state of the mind of the citizen and bestows on government.

“When we gather together to brainstorm about ways to improve the social protection cover in our country, we are engaging in the fundamental act of nation building,” he said.

Also speaking, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Public Service, Senator. Ibrahim Shekarau, said that the peace, stability and economic development of any country depends on how it’s leaders are catering for its workers.

He stressed the need to have a master plan to improve the living standard of workers.

“Nigerian workers deserve more than what they earn. NLC and the lawmakers should synergise to ensure that the populace live well in economic recession.

“If the people are hungry you can not say you are representing them well. Any recommendation that comes out from this event, the house will ensure it is treated with urgency,” he said.

Minister of Labour and Employment Senator Chris Ngige said that the matter of social protection cover cannot be ignored

He however noted that observed inadequacies are most visible in the informal economy with its attendant precarity in employment relationship, adding that there is lack of statistics that would enable the state to formalise the sector and dispense policies and programmes in all ramifications including taxations and its accruable social benefits.

“ I agree that we can do more to expand our Social Protection Cover and hence this government specifically created the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development with the vision to establish and sustain social protection systems that are proactive, humane, inclusive and sustainable for the improvement and general welfare of the people,” he said..

On his part, the President, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Ayuba Wabba, also called for a new social contract, including universal social protection coverage from the political class to ameliorate the suffering of the people.

Wabba said that social protection was a fundamental human rights intended to set minimum social security floor, alleviate poverty and provide economic security for all.

He said that there was the need to build social protection coverage to avert more people going into robbery, banditry, prostitution and kidnapping for ransom.

The NLC president pointed out that the emergence of COVID-19 had further exposed inequalities and significant gaps in social protection coverage.

“More than four million people, representing 53 per cent of the global population are unprotected against social shocks

“With 17.4 percent social protection cover, Africa has the least social protection coverage for its citizens leaving most Africans vulnerable to economic shocks, poverty, hunger and illiteracy,” he said.

Waba further decried the issue of housing deficit, inadequate health care services and how to increase public confidence in Contributory Pension Scheme

He urged the political class to be cautious of their utterances, especially using the 2023 election to cause crisis in the country.

Also speaking at the event, Director-General, Pension Commission (PENCOM), Hajiya Aisha Dahiru-Umar, said that Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) promotes social protection in Nigeria.

According to Dahiru-Umar, CPS promotes accountability, transparency and sustainability but that the major challenge in establishing its coverage is constitutional.

She noted that many states are not adopting CPS while some private employers are not remitting fund which had contributed to the challenges faced by the scheme.