Minimum Wage: Be more flexible in your demands, LCCI urges Labour

The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has called on labour to be more flexible in its demands for the new minimum wage for Nigerian workers.

In a statement issued on Monday by its Director General, Dr Chinyere Almona, the Chamber also urged the labour leaders to reconsider the government’s offerings and be concerned about how private businesses can afford to pay the set wage without considering shutting down operations or cutting jobs.

The business advocacy group charged all parties involved in the negotiation to be more flexible and consider a wage that reflects a good balance of economic realities, affordability, and sustainability.

It, therefore, cautioned against foisting on the government and businesses a minimum wage they cannot afford to pay, adding that if allowed to happen, it will eventually lead to job losses, worsened poverty levels, and so much money chasing a few goods.

“Therefore, we call on labour to be more flexible, reconsider the government’s offerings, and be concerned about how private businesses can afford to pay the wage without considering shutting down operations or cutting jobs.

“Beyond the new minimum wage, the Chamber is more concerned about having a more productive economy with a robust infrastructural base supporting an economy,” it stated.

The Chamber urged the government to consider the implementation of special non-cash interventions that will see businesses spend less on production.

It also advised the government to remove the import duties on food imports and critical raw materials and drastically reduce the import duty exchange rate on agricultural input and other imports that have multiplier effects on prices.

LCCI also called for the implementation of an aggressive metering programme on power supply and more investment and regulation in the sector to boost power supply through more contractual discipline and gas supply guarantees.

“We call on the labour unions to consider the interests of the broader business community in their demands and be more flexible in negotiations. We call on all parties to work towards a new national minimum wage that promotes a fair deal to all concerned and for the overall interest of society,” it added.

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