Labour Rejects Federal government offer on minimum wage
The Federal Government warned organized Labour on Wednesday to consider the larger financial consequences of their quest for an unrealistically high national minimum wage.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, who delivered the admonition, warned that the N250,000 minimum salary demanded by
labour might damage the economy, lead to mass retrenchment of workers, and jeopardize the wellbeing of Nigerians.
However, labor unions denied President Bola Tinubu’s statements during his Democracy Day speech on Wednesday that a deal had been struck on
the new national minimum wage. Prince Adewale Adeyanju, Acting President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, stated that as of the end of negotiations on June 7,
the Tripartite Committee on the National Minimum Wage had not reached an agreement.
Adeyanju is speaking on behalf of NLC President Joe Ajaero, who is attending an International Labour Organization conference in Geneva, Switzerland.
Tinubu raised the fury of unions when he stated that his government would soon submit an executive bill to the National Assembly to codify the agreements
achieved during minimum wage discussions between Labour, the private sector, the states, and the Federal Government.
The parties had been in talks for weeks, with the unions demanding a minimum wage of N250,000 and the Federal Government and Organised Private Sector offering N62,000.
However, the state governors stated that they would be unable to support a minimum wage higher than N60,000. The labor unions rejected
the Federal Government’s and the OPS’s offers, saying they would not negotiate what they called a’starvation pay.’
The NLC’s Assistant General Secretary, Chris Onyeka, stated that Labour will not accept the current offer of N62,000 or the N100,000 suggestion
made by some persons and economists. This came as the NLC President, Joe Ajaero, stated that unions were waiting for the President to consider Labour’s proposal.
This came as the NLC President, Joe Ajaero, stated that unions were waiting for the President to consider Labour’s proposal.
However, speaking at the commencement of the Charismatic Bishops Conference of Nigeria’s 2024 Synod in Abuja on Wednesday,
the information minister emphasized the importance of a reasonable pay structure that protects against mass retrenchment while meeting workers’ demands.
Idris reiterated the government’s commitment to reassessing the minimum wage while cautioning against demands that could destabilize the economy.
Federal Government is not opposed to the increase of wages for Nigerian workers but we keep on advocating for a realistic and
sustainable wage system for the workers – a wage system that will not undermine the economy, lead to mass retrenchment of workers and jeopardise the welfare of about 200 million Nigerians.
He noted ongoing efforts to reduce the cost of living, mentioning measures such as the Presidential Compressed Natural Gas program, which aims to cut transportation costs by half.
While contending for wage rises, Idris emphasized the importance of comprehensive relief measures beyond remuneration adjustments,
encouraging Labour to recognize the relevance of programs such as the CNG initiative in increasing residents’ purchasing power.
He therefore called on religious leaders to assist in creating public awareness about government initiatives and efforts.
