Organized Private Sector of Nigeria (OPSN) has expressed concern over the inability of the National Minimum Wage Committee to reach a consensus after its 7th meeting as organised labour declared indefinite strike from Monday.
Gatekeepers News reports that the committee was set up to negotiate a new national minimum wage, but the OPSN says the current economic realities and the need to protect jobs and ensure sustained growth were not given adequate consideration.
According to the Spokesperson for OPSN, who doubles as the Director-General of the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA), Wale Smatt-Oyerinde, the demand by organised labour for a higher minimum wage has the potential to cripple Small and Medium Enterprises and push many other businesses into comatose.
The OPSN had proposed an increase in the minimum wage from N30,000 to N60,000, which it described as a sacrificial offer.
“The offer of N60,000 was a 100 percent increase in the national minimum wage, and it was a sacrificial offer on our part,” said the OPSN in a statement.
“However, we urge the government to fast-track the implementation of its interventions to make life more bearable for workers, businesses, and Nigerians in general.”
The OPSN warned that any disruption of organized businesses’ activities could have serious consequences on job security and the sustainability of businesses.
“Businesses need to be alive and stay sustainable for jobs to be created and for the government to generate taxes,” the statement added.
