Senate, NCWS, want domestic staff included in minimum wage

The Nigerian Senate and the National Council of Women Society, NCWS on Monday advocated for the inclusion of domestic servants in Nigeria in the proposed N70,000 minimum wage when it comes into effect.

The call was at the National Assembly in Abuja during a public hearing on a bill seeking an Act to provide for the Domestication and Registration of domestic workers and Employers in Nigeria,

The public hearing on the bill sponsored by Senator Babangida Hussaini representing Jigawa North West, was organized by the Senate Committee on Employment, Labour and Productivity chaired by Senator Diket Plang.

The Senate’s call for the inclusion of domestic servants in the National Minimum Wage Scheme, especially came from Senator Osita Izunaso representing Imo West, during his remarks at the public hearing.

He 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 housemaids or servants, in the proposed N70,000 National Minimum wage law.

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

“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 intent of the bill should be changed to registration and protection of domestic workers and their employers.

In a similar call, the Acting National President of NCWS, Mrs Geraldeen Etuk, argued for the inclusion of domestic servants in the proposed National Minimum Wage law.

However, during an interview at the sideline of the event, the sponsor of the bill, Senator Babangida Hussaini said although he was elated by the general support the bill got from the various stakeholders, the 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 in 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.

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