"I think that all of us must sympathise with the condition of Nigeria. N30,000 translates to N1,000 per day. N30,000 translates to N50 per meal for every member of the family. That is what it translates to. If you have a family of six, husband and wife and four children, it translates to N50 per meal," Wabba said.
Ayuba Wabba, National President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), says the proposed N30,000 national minimum wage translates to N50 per meal for every member of a family of six.
He stated this in his presentation at the ongoing public hearing on the minimum wage bill in Abuja.
Speaking on the activities of the tripartite committee on the new national minimum wage, he highlighted the peculiarities of paying N30,000, which he noted was insufficient to even meet the needs of the average Nigerian worker.
He said: “There is a bill proposed by the committee and that committee has government, labour, the Nigeria Employers' Consultative Association (NECA). In fact, we were lucky that the person that represented the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) was a lawyer and they drafted the bill, which is also in conformity with the practice and tradition.
“In 2011, the same thing happened. We also amended the bill and forwarded the copy. So clearly, this is how we have arrived at this level and therefore, I think that all of us must sympathise with the condition of Nigeria.
“N30,000 translates to N1,000 per day. N30,000 translates to N50 per meal for every member of the family. That is what it translates to. If you have a family of six, husband and wife and four children, it translates to N50 per meal. This is where we are. So, I want to plead with our governors.”