Minimum wage committee: NUP kicks against exclusion of pensioners’ union leadership

The Nigerian Union of Pensioners (NUP) has kicked against non-inclusion of pensioners’ union leadership in the minimum wage committee slated to be inaugurated today, Tuesday, January 30.

NUP, in a letter addressed to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, expressed worry that the Constitution clearly stipulated that minimum wage and pension are to be reviewed side-by-side, but while government is set to inaugurate a committee to negotiate workers’ minimum pay, the reverse seems to be the case for pensioners.

The pensioners’ union, further wondered if the exclusion of pensioners in the committee means that another committee will be set-up and inaugurated at a later date to negotiate review of pension, or that the government has no plans to review pension. It further demanded that pension review should take place alongside minimum wage.

In the letter signed by the NUP General Secretary, Actor Zal, the union, however, urged the SGF to correct the omission or communicate to pensioners the true intent of government concerning the review of pension.

The letter read, “With profound respect, we write to draw your attention to the non-inclusion of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners to represent the interest of our members (pensioners) in such a very important committee on the national minimum wage about to be inaugurated.

“The committee is to review the national minimum wage as a result of the removal of fuel subsidy that inflicts hardship on many households in Nigeria, pensioners inclusive.

“Accordingly, the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Section 173/10, explicitly states that ‘pension shall be reviewed every five years or whenever workers’ salaries are reviewed, or whichever comes earlier.’

“In view of the above, it is our considered opinion that the Nigeria Union of Pensioners should have been represented in the committee in the interest of justice and fairness to the senior citizens who are worse hit by the economic hardship and have the constitutional ‘locus’ to a five-yearly salary review.

“Therefore, we appeal to your excellency to correct this great omission before the inauguration of the committee on January 30, 2024.

“lmperatively, this is to avoid a situation where pensioners’ issues will be addressed separately after the workers’ issues are already settled.”