Senate seeks inclusion of domestic servants in new national minimum wage scheme

The Senate, yesterday, demanded the inclusion of domestic servants in the proposed N70,000 National Minimum Wage Scheme.

The red chamber also justified the need for their compulsory documentation with a proposed federal agency for proper and adequate monitoring.

The call for the inclusion of domestic servants in the National Minimum wage, was also hailed by the National Council for Women Society (NCWS), and other stakeholders at the National Assembly on Monday.

The NCWS, some government officials and other stakeholders, gave the support for the proposed legislation during a public hearing on a Bill for 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).

A member of the Senate panel, Senator Osita Izunaso (APC Imo West), started the call for the inclusion of domestic servants in the National Minimum Wage Scheme, during his remarks at the public hearing.

“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 maid 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 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 said.

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.

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

Other members of the committee and stakeholders, expressed their support for the Bill and the need to include domesticate workers in the National Minimum Wage Scheme.

In an interview, sponsor of the bill, Senator Babangida Hussaini, said he was elated by the general support the bill got from the various stakeholders and other relevant stakeholders.

He expressed doubts over the practical implementation of the additional scope of inclusion of domestic workers into the national minimum wage.

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