Follow Us on Google
Seeks February start to minimum wage talks • Gives health ministry days to resolve JOHESU dispute
From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has urged the Federal Government to increase workers’ salaries without waiting for a new minimum wage agreement, saying prevailing economic conditions require immediate attention to their welfare.
TUC President, Festus Osifo, made the call while addressing journalists after the congress’ National Administrative Council (NAC) meeting, where he also announced preparations for fresh minimum wage negotiations.
“We have mentioned several times that allowances do not need a minimum wage conversation. And even salaries, government on its own can actually push the salaries of workers up, even without a minimum wage conversation,” he said.
“Minimum wage is minimum. Government can decide to pay whatever it wants to take care of its employees. Employers can decide to do way above what is there at the minimum threshold.”
Osifo said the statutory minimum was only a wage floor, noting that workers in banking, food and beverages, and oil and gas already earned substantially above it.
He urged the government to address workers’ welfare immediately, particularly those on the lower levels of the federal payroll.
“Government does not even need to wait for a new minimum wage Act to be signed before government will take care of its workers,” he said.
On preparations for a new wage agreement, Osifo said negotiations should begin about six months before the current agreement expires in August 2027.
Drawing on the last negotiations, which he said lasted three to four months, he urged the government to inaugurate a committee in February 2027 to allow sufficient time for discussions.
Other News
“So, if the committee can be inaugurated in February, we can start work, so that by the end of May or June, we could have a new minimum wage,” he said.
On the lingering Joint Health Sector Unions (JOHESU) dispute, Osifo gave the Federal Ministry of Health a few days to resolve outstanding issues in the communiqué that led to the suspension of the union’s strike.
“We are going to send a letter to the Minister of Health, draw his attention to that communiqué once again. By the time we draw his attention, we wait for his response,” he said.
Osifo said TUC was also engaging its sister labour centre and warned that the two centres would intervene if the issues remained unresolved after the latest engagements with the ministry.
He called for increased funding to combat insecurity, saying persistent kidnappings and killings had disrupted farming, investment and other economic activities.
The TUC president urged the government to prioritise the protection of lives and property, arguing that citizens needed to be alive and secure to benefit from infrastructure and other government projects.
On the economy, Osifo said the naira remained undervalued and urged the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to strengthen it, arguing that a stronger currency would ease pressure on fuel, food and other commodities with foreign exchange components.
He also called for the revival of the textile industry, citing high energy and production costs, layoffs and declining employment.
Osifo urged the Ministry of Labour to enforce decent working conditions and address excessive casualisation, poor remuneration and unsafe workplaces.
Ahead of the 2027 general elections, he called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure a transparent, open and credible electoral process.
