Following the disagreement between the organized labour and the Federal Government, the House of Representatives has called on the Federal Government, to redirect the focus of its negotiation with labour.
The lawmaker urged the Government reconsider fixing a minimum wage, but to fix a realistic living wage for Nigerians. This, the Reps said should be in line with current market realities.
This was contained in a motion moved during a session at the National Assembly on Wednesday.
In moving the motion, the Minority Leader, Kingsley Chinda, urged his colleagues, to speedily amend the minimum wage bill as it did with the national anthem. He added that if President Bola Tinubu refuses to accent to the Bill, House should be override him.
While speaking on the floor of the House, the Minority Leader condemned the Labour leaders for shutting down the national grid.
Recall that organized labour on Monday shut down the national grid, thereby, throwing the entire country into darkness.
Labour is protesting for increase in the minimum wage.
The Federal Government had promised to pay N60,000 minimum wage which organized Labour has rejected.
During negotiation with the Government, Labour had insisted on N494, 000 as the new minimum wage.
According to a statement by the spokesperson for the Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, Ndidi Mbah, said operators of the national grid were forcefully kicked out. They were also beaten by the aggrieved union members, before turning off the grid in protest.
Responding to the development after the strike was called off on Tuesday, the lawmakers frowned at the development. They stated that labour unions had gone too far by shutting down the national grid.
The lawmakers alleged that lives were lost due to that action of the labour union members.
To forestall further reoccurrence of such ugly incident, the lawmakers, therefore, urged the Federal Government, to redirect the focus of its negotiation with labour.
They urged the FG to shift from fixing a minimum wage, to fixing a realistic living wage. The Reps stated that this should be in line with current market realities.
The Deputy Speaker, Benjamin Kalu, also drew attention to the Trade Dispute Act. According to him, the Act restricts labour unions from shutting down certain sectors during an industrial action.
The Reps also called on the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC), to carry out a downward review of the electricity tariff.
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