In response to the pressing economic realities facing Nigerian workers, the House of Representatives has established an ad-hoc committee on Wednesday to explore viable approaches for implementing living wages that align with current economic conditions.
This decision stems from a motion jointly sponsored by 40 House members, spearheaded by Aliyu Sani Madaki (NNPP, Kano).
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Madaki underscored the severe impact of rising inflation, making it increasingly challenging for Nigerians to afford basic necessities such as food, shelter, education, healthcare, transport, and clothing.
Citing Nigeria’s commitment to the United Nations Universal Declaration on Human Rights and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Madaki emphasized the imperative of ensuring just and dignified remuneration for all workers.
He highlighted that recent measures like the removal of fuel subsidies and wage adjustments by the government have failed to adequately address the soaring cost of living.
According to Madaki, research from Trade Economics and the World Bank underscores the necessity of a living wage, with estimates suggesting that no worker can sustain themselves on less than N100,000 in the current economic climate.
Expressing grave concerns over the escalating poverty levels exacerbated by low purchasing power, Madaki stressed the urgency of implementing measures to uplift the economic well-being of Nigerians.
The unanimous adoption of the motion signals a unified commitment by the House to address the plight of workers, with the resolution set to be forwarded to the Senate for concurrence.