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The Senate, in collaboration with the National Council for Women Society, has 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 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 NMWS 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, 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 it 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 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 the inclusion of domestic servants in the proposed national minimum wage law.
