In a bid to improve worker welfare and advance a decent standard of living, the House of Representatives has urged the Federal Government to swiftly develop a plan to guarantee a realistic living wage for them.
The House, through an urgent motion initiated by Mr. Isah Ali, the House Minority Chief Whip, emphasized that Nigerian workers are eagerly seeking a living wage to mitigate the harsh impacts of the current economic challenges affecting the nation and its citizens.
During the motion, the House also urged the federal government to further consider the downward review of the electricity tariff to reduce Nigerians’ suffering.
Mr. Ali explained that the current minimum wage could not address the plights of Nigerian workers, hence the need to provide a living wage for them.
However, Rep. Kingsley Chinda, the House Minority Leader, expressed his displeasure at the labor unions’ shutdown of the National Grid and suggested that the passing of the living wage bill should proceed at the same pace as the National Anthem Bill.
While presiding over the plenary session, Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu admonished organized labour to ensure compliance with existing labour laws and regulations when engaging in industrial action, emphasizing the importance of lawful protest and strike actions.
Other lawmakers who contributed to the motion urged the parties involved to handle the situation with the utmost caution to avoid escalating it to an uncontrollable level.
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