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• Says indefinite strike not solution • Claims labour’s demand for N494,000 wage’ll cost FG N9.5tr annually
From Aidoghie Paulinus, Abuja
The Federal Government yesterday asked the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and their affiliates to shelve their proposed indefinite strike scheduled to begin tomorrow.
FG pleaded with labour to return to the negotiation table in the interest of the country.
It said the insistence of the labour on N494, 000 minimum wage would cost the government N9.5trillion annually, which the economy cannot accommodate.
The government disclosed that out of the three parties involved in the tripartite negotiation on the new minimum wage, both the Federal Government and the Organized Private Sector have agreed on a N60,000 pay, adding that only labour rejected the proposal.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mallam Mohammed Idris, who addressed an emergency briefing in Abuja last night, said: “Indefinite strike is not the solution to the demand for a new minimum wage.”
Speaking on the position of the government, the Minister asked the labour to embrace dialogue and have a rethink on indefinite strike.
He said: “The FG, therefore, calls on all parties to embrace reasonable and realistic dialogue that will result in the proper resolution of the impasse.
“I am, therefore, appealing to the Labour to return to the negotiation table in the interest of Nigeria.
“Indefinite strike is not the solution. It will rather complicate the situation. Our appeal is that they should shelve that strike, rethink the strike because it is not in the interest of Nigerians,” he said.
Idris said that the N494,000 minimum wage being demanded by the labour would cost the government about N9.5trillion to cater for about 1.2 million workers.
He pleaded with labour to put the interest of the other 200 million Nigerians in mind.
He gave insights into how the government decided to increase the minimum wage by 100 per cent.
“On Tuesday, 28th May 2024, the Tripartite Committee, comprising 36 members – FG, 12; NLC, 12; and Organized Private Sector, 12, met and the FG made the offer of N60,000 per month, to workers.
“The Federal Government’s New Minimum Wage proposal amounts to a 100% increase on the existing minimum wage of 2019. Labour, however, wanted N494,000, which would be an increase of 1,547% on the existing wage.
“The sum of N494,000 national minimum wage which Labour is seeking would cumulatively amount to the sum N9.5 trillion bill to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
“It is important for Nigerians to understand that whereas the FG is desirous of ample remuneration for Nigerian workers, but what is most critical is that the President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will not encourage any action that could lead to massive job loss.
“Whereas the Labour is keen on the take-home pay of about 1.2 million workers, the Federal Government is concerned with the welfare of 200m plus Nigerians. This is because, the FG’s Guiding Principle is: Affordability, Sustainability, and the overall Health of the nation’s economy.
“Even before the discussions on the national minimum wage, the Federal Government granted N35,000 wage award for all treasury-paid Federal workers.
“The FG, therefore, calls on all parties to embrace reasonable and realistic dialogue that will result in the proper resolution of the impasse.”
Idris said apart from the minimum wage, President Tinubu has floated 12 palliatives for Nigerians.
He gave the breakdown as follows:
· The N125 billion Conditional Grant and Financial Inclusion to MSMEs.
· N100 billion for the procurement of CNG fueled buses and CNG conversion kits.
· N25,000 each to be shared to 15 million households for 3 months.
· N185 billion palliatives (loans to states) to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal.
· N200 billion to support the cultivation of 500,000 hectares of land to boost food production.
· Release of 42,000 metric tons of grains from the Strategic Reserves.
· Purchase and onward distribution of 60,000 metric tons of rice from the rice millers association.
· Recent salary increase of 25-35% on all consolidated salary structures for federal workers.
· 90% subsidy on health costs for federal civil servants registered on NHIS.
· In the last one week about 60,000 Student Loan Applications were received out of which 30,000 were successful. The portal will be opened for students from state-owned tertiary institutions, from June 25th, 2024.
· Light rail commissioned in Abuja to relieve transportation costs till the end of the year.
· In addition to the freedom of civil servants to engage in agriculture, the Federal Government has approved the inclusion of ICT services as alternative sources of income.
