Minimum Wage: Tension As NLC, TUC Await Tinubu’s Announcement

There is serious tension in the camp of the organised labour following reports that  President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will announce the new minimum wage after meeting with the leadership of the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC and Trade Union Congress, TUC, on Thursday.

The development comes after the president sent a bill to the National Assembly to amend the 2024 Budge, with an addition of over N6 trillion.

The Budget has now been increased to N34. 9 trillion from N28.77 trillion earlier proposed by his government, which analysts insists have now been adjusted to accommodate the new wage to be paid to workers.

The magazine also reported that the opposition Peoples Democratic Governors, had met yesterday in Enugu where they declared support for the Organised Labour on the minimum wage issue.

Their position comes after the 36 state governors in the country, under the aegis of the Nigerian Governors Forum, NGF, rejected the N62,000 proposed by the federal government to pay Nigerian workers.

The governors said they should be allowed to determine what they pay their workers in their states. NLC and TUC have rejected the position, threatening to go on strike if this was allowed to happen.

The NLC and TUC have demanded N250, 000 as new minimum wage for their members.

Recall that the Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris had earlier in the week disclosed that the president will sent the New Wage Bill to NASS for legislations.

Idris who spoke with state House correspondents after the weekly federal Executive Council Meeting, FEC, said the federal government was making frantic efforts to resolve the new wage issue following the meeting Tinubu had with the leadership of NLC and TUC on July 11.

The Miniter said, “Now, you are also aware that last week, the Nigeria Labour Congress met the president. This, of course, was part of the consultation to which the president has agreed,” he said.

“Recall that he had met organised sector; he had also met sub-nationals after the tripartite committee on labour had submitted its report to ensure that there is a thorough analysis of the situation so that the government would come up with a minimum wage that works for all Nigerians, the federal government, the sub-nationals, and the organised private sector.

“That was also discussed today. And the government has also directed the ministry of budgets to come up with additional support for the 2024 budget so that any differential or any gaps that will exist in terms of what existed before the 2024 budget were approved, a supplementary budget, and also what the requirement is for now.

“So, the government is working around the clock to ensure that it comes up with a minimum wage, like I said, that works for all Nigerians.

“At the end of the day, this, of course, will be submitted to the national assembly so that you can have legislative backing.

“Let me also say that the president is also open to meeting the Nigeria Labour Congress, the Trade Union Congress, and all the affiliates. We expect that meeting to hold this coming Thursday.

“Recall that this was already what the labour unions requested during their meeting with Mr President last week.

“So, the president is in agreement, he knows that the labour wants to quickly find a lasting solution to the issue of minimum wage, and the government is also assured to put the issue of minimum wage behind it.

“So’ it is expected that the NLC, TUC, and all the affiliates, as requested by them last week, will meet the president on Thursday, after which the president will now transmit whatever the final agreement or what his views are on the tripartite committee report to the national assembly for legislation,” Idris said.

According to those watching what is going on concerning the issue, they insist that there is currently an uneasy calm in the camp of the Labour which is awaiting the outcome of the meeting between the president and their leaders today.

“The president will determine what happens next. Our members are seriously agitated, the outcome of the meeting today will give an indication of what workers will do. We believe that the issue will be a win-win, anything contrary will not be acceptable,” one of the uinons’ leaders told the magazine on Thursday.

The magazine reported that President Tinubu had after the meeting with the presidents of the NLC and TUC on July 11, promised to resolve the wage issue before the end of this week.