FG, Organised labour agree on N70,000 minimum wage

The Federal Government and the organised labour have agreed on 70 thousand Naira as the new National Minimum Wage.

This was the outcome of the latest meeting between President Bola Tinubu and leadership of the organised labour, which took place at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Briefing State House correspondents on the agreement, the Minister of Information, Alhaji Muhammad Idris, said the President said the government would make massive investments in facilities that would make life better for Nigerian workers.

President Tinubu promised to review the national minimum wage law every three years.

President Tinubu also promised to find ways to assist the private sector and the sub-nationals to pay the minimum wage.

The new minimum wage is coming after series of meetings.

Meanwhile, the leadership of the organised labour has warned that their agreement with President Tinubu on the N70,000 National Minimum Wage is not absolute until their National Executive Council approves of it.

The National President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Comrade Joe Ajaero, gave the warning in Abuja while briefing newsmen on the outcome of the meeting.

He explained that the leadership of Labour had no absolute powers to take decisions without the approval of their constituents.

“We’re going to report back to them, and in most instances, they may likely accept what we have done, so we can’t talk with absolute finality”, he maintained.

Similarly, the President of the Trade Union Congress, Comrade Festus Osifo, said President Tinubu had pledged to settle the 5 months’ wage award being owed by the government.

“We mentioned it to him, and his response was that he would definitely look into it”, he stated.

Earlier, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Muhammad Idris, had said aside from the 70 thousand Naira pegged as the National Minimum Wage, the government had intention to provide facilities that would ease the suffering being faced.

“But that is not all, there’s also a boost, like Mr. President has assured, in ensuring that massive investments are going to be made in the areas of infrastructure and renewable energy. More money is going to go into the acquisition of CNG buses. The issue of SSANU and NASU is also going to be looked at”, he explained.

He commended the organised labour for the maturity and patriotism exhibited throughout the period of the negotiation between them and the government.

Abdullah Bello