The federal government has increased the proposed national minimum wage from N60,000 to N62,000, while the organised labour has lowered its demand from N494,000 to N250,000. This development follows the submission of the cost implications of the new minimum wage by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, to President Bola Tinubu.....Read The Full Story Here ▶
The organised private sector also expressed support for the government’s offer of N62,000.
Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State, who briefed journalists after the meeting of the Tripartite Committee on New Minimum Wage in Abuja on Friday, said though no agreement was reached, the committee would forward the two proposals to President Bola Tinubu for necessary action.
President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Festus Osifo, who spoke on behalf of the organised labour, confirmed the development, adding that the government must consider the plight of workers and the cost of living.
“As we are now, the organised private sector and the government side have recommended N62,000 as the minimum wage, but for us in labour, we feel that with the current economic hardship and difficulties in the land, N250,000 would be appropriate as the minimum wage.”
“We will forward this position to Mr President. This committee is to make recommendations to the president, who will then make a recommendation to the National Assembly. We will keep pushing to ensure that we have a wage that can stand the test of time in Nigeria,” Mr Osifo said.
Chairman of the committee, Bukar Aji, confirmed that the two recommendations would be sent to the president for action.
The committee resumed negotiations after the organised labour relaxed its strike for one week on Tuesday morning following pleas by the government.
It embarked on the strike following the expiration of an ultimatum given to the government on 31 May.
At an earlier meeting on Monday, the government promised to increase the minimum wage to an amount higher than N60,000 it earlier proposed