Include domestic workers in minimum wage, Senate tells FG

The Senate and the National Council for Women Society, have sought to include domestic servants in the proposed N70,000 National Minimum Wage Scheme.

The call for the inclusion of domestic servants in the National Minimum wage came from both institutions at the National Assembly in Abuja during a public hearing on a bill seeking an Act to provide for Domestication and Registration of domestic workers and employers in Nigeria.

The public hearing on the bill sponsored by Senator Babangida Hussaini (APC, Jigawa North West), was organised by the Senate Committee on Employment, Labour and Productivity, chaired by Senator Diket Plang (APC, Plateau Central).

The call for the inclusion of domestic servants in the National Minimum Wage Scheme was spearheaded by Senator Osita Izunaso (APC 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 housemaid or servants, in the proposed N70,000 National Minimum wage law.

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

“We will 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 amendment 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 with journalists, the sponsor of the bill, Senator Babangida Hussaini said that although he was elated by the general support the bill got from the various stakeholders, from the Minister of Labour to other relevant stakeholders practical implementation of the additional scope of inclusion of domestic workers in the national minimum wage is what is somewhat doubtful.

He said, “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.”

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.