By Cross Udo, Abuja
The Federal Government on Monday hinted that President Bola Tinubu will be transmitting the New National Minimum Wage to the National Assembly after meeting with the leadership of the Organised Labour on Thursday.
Recall that President Tinubu had met with the leadership of Organised labour on Thursday last week over the minimum wage issue.
The Tripartite Committee of the new National Minimum Wage had submitted two separate figures to the President following the disagreement among the different stakeholders.
While the government team and the organized private sector had offered N62,000, the organized labour made a demand of N250,000.
Tinubu upon the receipt of the committee’s report, had promised to meet with the relevant stakeholders to harmonize the figure before transmitting the executive bill to the National Assembly.
Briefing State House correspondents at the end of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Tinubu at the Council Chamber, Presidential Villa, Abuja, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said that the President will transmit the executive bill after the meeting with the Organised labour on Thursday.
He also stated that the executive will send what he described as an amendment to the 2024 budget to the National Assembly.
According to him, the amendment would take care of the new minimum wage among other things.
He said, “Now, you are also aware that last week, the Nigeria Labour Congress met the president. This of course was part of the consultation that the President has agreed.
Recall that he had met the organized sector, and he had also met with the sub-nationals after the tripartite committee on Labour had submitted its report to ensure that there was a thorough analysis of the situation so that government would come up with a minimum wage that works for all Nigerians, federal government, the sub nationals, and the organized private sector.
“That was also discussed today (yesterday). And 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 was 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 Nigerian Labour, Trade Union Congress, and all the affiliates. We expect that meeting to be held this coming Thursday.
“Recall that this was already what the Labour unions requested during their meeting with Mr. President last week. So the President agrees, he knows that Labour wants to quickly find a lasting solution to the issue of minimum 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. And after which the president will now transmit whatever tie final agreement or what his views are on the tripartite committee report to the National Assembly for legislation.”
Asked whether the amount to be paid as the new national minimum wage was discussed taking cognizance of the fact that two figures were submitted to the President in the Tripartite Committee report, he said no figures were discussed.
He said, “You asked whether whatever figures were discussed? No, I think it is the general parameters and the general principle of the minimum wage itself and like we have said here severally, the federal government is not in opposition to wage increase. The President and the Federal Executive Council and the federal government are not in opposition to the concept of wage increase.”
The Minister also mentioned some of the factors that would determine the figure to be paid as the new national minimum wage.
According to him, “The issue has been a wage increase that we can defend, meaning a wage increase that will not lead to inflation, a wage increase that not just the federal government, but the sub-nationals and the Organised Private Sector, can pay and something that is also sustainable.
“Recall that the President also mentioned last week that because he is not in opposition to the issue of wage increase, he has even asked that instead of waiting for a whole five years before wages are reviewed, he has mooted the idea that we can look at these wages between two to three years so that if there are gaps, we don’t have to wait for five years for those gaps to be closed.
“So, the discussion was not around the figure itself, it’s about the general parameters and the general principle of the wage increase itself, which the government fully supports, but the federal government will have to do something that not only it can carry, the sub-nationals and the organized private sector will also be able to go along.
“Recall that I’ve said here that the issue of national minimum wage is not just that of the federal government; it is for the federal government, for the sub-nationals, and for the organized private sector, therefore, every decision to be taken by the President will have to also take note of the sensibilities of the other parts that I talked about.
“So yes, there will be a wage increase because there is already a proposal before the President, there is already a report before the President, the president is deepening his consultation and it is in that spirit that he met with the organized Labour last week and he’s also, as they requested, he will also meet with them on Thursday this week to finalize their thoughts and then he will make his informed position known to Nigerians by also sending this to the National Assembly.”
