Senate, NCWS make case for domestic workers inclusion in National Minimum wage

The Senate and the National Council for Women Society (NCWS), have canvassed for the inclusion of domestic workers in the proposed payment of N70,000 as National Minimum Wage.

The Senate and NCWS made the call during a public hearing on a Bill seeking for “an Act to provide for Domestication and Registration of Domestic Workers and Employers in Nigeria.”

The Bill was sponsored by Senator Babangida Hussaini (APC – Jigawa North West).

The public hearing was organised by the Senate Committee on Employment, Labour and Productivity chaired by Senator Diket Plang (APC – Plateau Central).

In his contribution during the session, Senator Osita Izunaso (APC – Imo West), said: “As a member of this committee, I feel strongly that part of the provisions to be included in this bill is to include the domestic workers be it house maids or servants, in the proposed N70,000 National Minimum wage law.

“As N70, 000 is being planned to be the least wage for the lowest public worker, so should be the case for the least domestic worker.

“We are going to put it in the bill for implementation by all employers.”

He however suggested that instead of domestication and protection of domestic workers and employers, the intendment of the bill should be changed to registration and protection of domestic workers and their employers.

Similarly, the Acting National President of NCWS, Mrs Geraldeen Etuk, argued for includion of domestic workers in the proposed National Minimum Wage law.

However during an interview the sponsor of the bill, Senator Hussaini said though he was elated by the general support the bill got from the various stakeholders, from the Minister of Labour to other relevant stakeholders but practical implementation of the additional scope of inclusion of domestic workers in the national minimum wage is what is somewhat doubtful.

“There is no point making a law that cannot be implemented but I’m happy that the generality of stakeholders at the public hearing supported the bill and by extension, the proposed law,” he said.

In his remarks, the Chairman of the Committee, Senator Diket Plang, said an agency would be set up for implementation of the proposed law, but the Ministry of Labour and Productivity, will drive the operation from the onset.