The federal government says it is ready to offer higher than the N60,000 national minimum wage it earlier proposed to the tripartite committee deliberating on the contentious issue.
The government’s decision was disclosed at a meeting of the committee convened Monday night by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, after organized labor embarked on an indefinite strike to press its demand on the minimum wage.
In a circular jointly issued by the committee members at the end of the meeting, President Bola Tinubu said he was committed to a national minimum wage higher than N60,000.
The government did not specify how much it was willing to offer to meet labor’s N497,000 demand, but both parties agreed to meet throughout the week to work out the details.
“Arising from the above, the Tripartite Committee is to meet every day for the next one week with a view to arriving at an agreeable national minimum wage,” the joint statement signed by the government, the Nigeria Labour Congress, and the Trade Union Congress read.
”Labour in deference to the high esteem of the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria’s commitment in above undertakes to convene a meeting of its organs immediately to consider this commitment.
“The committee also resolved that no worker will be victimized as a result of the industrial action.”
Resolutions Reached at the Meeting Between The Federal Government and the Organised Labour held on Monday 3rd June, 2024 pic.twitter.com/bxaWsFYBtO
— Presidency Nigeria (@NGRPresident) June 3, 2024
The minister of information and national orientation, Mohammed Idris, the minister of state for labor and employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, the president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) president attended the meeting.
