*Mohammed Idris, Minister for Information and National Orientation, affirms both the Federal Government and the Organised Labour have agreed on an increase on the new Minimum Wage to N70,000 for Nigerian workers

Isola Moses | 绿帽献妻

The Federal Government says it has engaged the leadership of the Organised Labour, and agreed on N70,000 as the new National Minimum Wage for Nigerian workers.

绿帽献妻 reports Alhaji Mohammed Idris, Honourable Minister for Information and National Orientation, who disclosed this development to the State House Correspondents, Thursday, July 18, 2024, in Abuja, FCT, said that the agreement was reached at a meeting between President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC).

According to Idris, President Tinubu is expected to submit the N70,000 new Minimum Wage benchmark to the National Assembly (NASS).

L-R: Alhaji Mohammed Idris, Minister for Information and National Orietation; Barr. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, Minister for Labour and Employment; Comrade Joe Ajaero, President of NLC; and Mr. Festus Osifo, President of TUC, in the Presidential Villa, Abuja, after the Meeting

Elated Idris told reporters Thursday: 鈥淲e are happy to announce today (Thursday) that both the Organised Labour and the Federal Government have agreed on an increase on the N62,000 Minimum Wage.

鈥淭he new National Minimum Wage that Mr. President is expected to submit to the National Assembly is N70,000.鈥�

We鈥檒l consult with members on N70,000 agreed Minimum Wage, says Ajaero

Affirming the agreement on the agreed new wage for Nigerian workers to State House Correspondents in company with Festus Osifo, his TUC counterpart, Comrade Joe Ajaero, President of NLC Thursday also confirmed that N70,000 is where the Organised Labour is on the issue of the Minimum Wage.

Ajaero disclosed that part of the discussion with the government was that the minimum wage issue would no longer wait till after five years to be reviewed.

According to him, the agreement was that the minimum wage would now be reviewed every three years.

The Organised Labour will consult with their members on the N70,000 benchmark.

The NLC President said: 鈥淲e were here last week. And we are here now. What they have announced in terms of the amount of N70,000 happens to be where we are now.

“But the thing about it is that we will not wait for another five years to come and agree.鈥�

Long way to new Minimum Wage benchmark

It is recalled the new 鈥渁greement鈥� between the Federal Government and the Organised Labour was sequel a series of talks between the leadership of the workers鈥� unions and President Tinubu in the last few weeks after months.

The President was said to have taken on the responsibility directly, after failed talks between Labour organs and a tripartite committee on Minimum Wage, which he had constituted January 2024.

The committee, which comprised State and Federal Governments and the Organised Private Sector, earlier had proposed N62,000 whereas the Organised Labour had also insisted on nothing below N250,000 as the new Minimum Wage for Nigerian workers.

绿帽献妻 reports the country鈥檚 workers currently earn N30,000 as Minimum Wage.

The Labour unions had also complained about the existing N30,000, which they said was unsustainable for any worker in view of the economic realities, including high inflation and increasing cost of living, following Tinubu鈥檚 announcement of the removal of petrol subsidy May 29, 2023.

However, the Nigerian leader, on Thursday, July 11, 2024, met and engaged with Labour leaders, in Abuja, where he advocated realistic expectations as regards the minimum wage.

Tinubu had told the Union leaders: 鈥淵ou have to cut your coat according to available cloth. Before we can finalise the minimum wage process, we have to look at the structure.鈥�

In his Democracy Day speech June 12 this year, the President had indicated that the Presidency would send an Executive Bill on the new National Minimum Wage for workers to the National Assembly for passage into law.

On SSANU, NASU outstanding Labour issues

Meanwhile, in her remarks on the latest N70,000 new Minimum Wage agreement between the Nigerian Government and the Labour unions Thursday, in Abuja, Barr Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, Honourable Minister for Labour and Employment, reportedly disclosed President Tinubu had directed Olawale Edun and Atiku Bagudu, Ministers for Finance and Budget respectively to work out modalities on how to settle the issues with the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU).

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