President Tinubu has approved a N70,000 wage for Nigerian workers with a promise to review the national minimum wage law every three years.
The leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) are at the Presidential Villa, Abuja for a scheduled meeting with President Bola Tinubu.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris broke the new wage figure to State House Correspondents, saying today’s a happy day for Nigeria. You recall that last week we had a meeting here and the organized, private sector and the sub-nationals have also held their various meetings with Mr. President following the submission of the tripartite agreement to Mr. President.
“Labour came last week. They had meeting with Mr. President. They asked for adjournment for a week to go and consult further. They did those consultations. They have come back today and we have met with Mr. President.
“We’re happy to announce today that both the federal government and organized Labour have agreed on an increase on the N62,000. The new national minimum wage that we expect us to present to submit to the National Assembly for legislation is N70,000.
“But that is not all. There is also a boost like Mr. President has assured in ensuring that massive investment is going to be made in the area of infrastructure. There is also a deepening of the investment of the federal government in renewable energy. More money is going to go into the acquisition of more buses, the CNG buses, Nigeria is going to be more CNG compliant, according to the President.
“We’re moving in this transition to renewable and all other things that Mr. President has assured Labour the issue of SSANU and NASU is also going to be looked at. And we are happy, we are very thankful for the role that organized labour has played today. They recognized the federal government’s role in ensuring that we have the local government autonomy, and also ensuring that both the organized Labour and the government are on the same page today.
“They have seen the magnanimity of the President and today the leadership of Labour said they didn’t come here for negotiation. Not at all, they came here in that deep sense of patriotism to ensure that Nigeria remains united, Nigeria becomes more prosperous and it is in that spirit, that they are in agreement with what the federal government has done today.
“We want to thank them for their level of patriotism. We also want to thank Mr President, the federal Government, the sub-nationals and organize private sector for going through this painstaking effort but also ensuring that at the end of the day Nigera is the winner for it all”.
Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejiocha corroborated the Information Minister when she said Mr President had promised that it will not disappoint and he has shown that this afternoon.
She recalled that Labour saw Mr President last week, and they asked that he should give them one week to consult more and of course, at the end of the day, the consultation came, very fruitful because the President said he has to be a father.
She said, “this is not the issue of the law of who is right, or who will blink the first, that he is our Father, like he has always said. That we should end the issue of give me 1000, add 1000 and all that.
“That, first and foremost, that the review of this minimum wage policy has to be reduced to three years, that five years is too long a time to get any minimum wage review that’s not very healthy. And as of course, that Labour should look at the indices of the economy and accept N70,000, minimum wage, and, of course, that it has to be reviewed every three, years.
“So that we’re able to evaluate and see whether our economy is picking up, or whether something has to be done further, considering the sensitivity of the issue.
“He promised and asked that the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, should make sure that they go back to the books, because he has the discretion to look into the issue ot SSANU, NASU and all that, so that their money should be paid. And they should work out the modalities, whether it’s 50%, or whatever, but that he has given that waiver to be paid, because of course, that the issue of no work, no pay, that issue has to be led to a rest”.
The NLC President, Joe Ajaero in his reaction said what came as most appealing for the workforce was the assurance by the President to effect a three yearly review of wages.
His words, “we’re here last week. And we’re here now, what has been announced in terms of the amount of N70,000 happened to be where we are now. But the cool thing about it is that it will not wait for another five years to come on review. Rather than settling on a figure that we wait for five years, is like we’ll have to now negotiate even two times within five years, with a view to going up.
“That is one of the reasons you know why we decided to reach where we are today. Because of the proviso that you know, you can review the next three years.
“The other one, we came with other issues in the basket, like the issue of SSANU, NASU and others, especially with the affront by the Commissioner of Police FCT, we brought it to Mr. President, and talk to the need, you know, for that matter to be addressed. And magnanimously he asked the agencies concerned to work out the modalities for the payment of those workers in the universities.
“So far does well. So we need to…although he promised some incentives like the CNG whatever, which will lessen the burden that the Nigerian workers are passing through, but you can see that we are taking in this well with mixed feelings because of the situation of the economy. But we have to move ahead despite the situation, and the negotiation can’t linger, you know, coming from N62,000 to N70,000. And then with the proviso that we are coming back soon to negotiate it.
“We’re taking it back to our constituency to see how you can get a buy in. So that’s what has transpired”.
Also TUC President, Festus Osifo said the attraction was the assurance that by next week the bill to amend the minimum wage shoring it up to N70,000 will most likely go to the National Assembly soon.
“The President made a pronouncement or announcement of N70,000. That by next week, they should put finishing touches to the bill and do the transmission to the National Assembly
“But why this became a catch is actually because we from organized labour, we have been pushing that the issue of five years review is to me so much, that a lot of economic indices may have changed, because we are in an era where things are moving very fast in terms of both macro, and micro economic policies.
“But with the caveat that this is going to be done every three years. The next review will be in three years. After that, pronouncement, we from labour just as has been said, well we have received what the President has promised from both ends.
“We made a case for both the SSANU and NASU, that the President should, as a father of the nation, look at it compassionately, and do…so that we will not have a case where the universities would be closed again. That it is actually a problem because it is your children, my brothers that attend these universities,” Osifo stated.
