TUC Opposes Minimum Wage Decentralisation

The Trade Union
Congress of Nigeria (TUC), Rivers State Chapter  has reiterated its opposition towards the move to decentralise the issue of the minimum wage from the exclusive legislative list by the Federal Government.
The Union’s position was restated by the TUC state Treasurer, Comrade Dr. Chris Mbata, in an interview with The Tide in Port Harcourt.
Mbata said TUC would continue to advocate for true federalism in the country.
He declared that the position of Labour on the issue remained that there should not be an isolation in the implementation of true federalism in respect of the minimum wage.
He added that if the Federal government want to remove minimum wage from the exclusive list, then the government should implement true federalism in all sectors.
The Labour Leader enjoined well meaning Nigerians to prevail on the government never  to remove the minimum wage from the exclusive legislative list in view of allocation accrued and revenue being generated by some states.
It would be recalled that the Federal government through the National Assembly has planned to move the minimum wage currently on the Exclusive legislative list as item No. 34 under the second schedule of the 1999 constitution as amended to concurrent Legislative list for each state to decide its minimum wage to be paid to its workers.

Philip Okparaji