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From Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
President Bola Tinubu has directed the Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, to come up with cost implications for the new minimum wage and present an affordable, sustainable, and realistic figure within the next two days.
This directive was made known by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, following a meeting between the President and government representatives on the minimum wage negotiation with the Organised Labour.
According to Idris, the President summoned a meeting of all those who negotiated on behalf of the Federal Government, including the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Atiku Bagudu, Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Hon Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, and the the Group Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited (GCEO -NNPCL), Mele Kyari.
According to Idris, the meeting aimed to discuss all issues related to the minimum wage negotiation and the Organised Labour.
The President directed the Minister of Finance to do the numbers and present the new minimum wage figures within two days so that they can form the basis of negotiation with the Organised Labour.
Idris emphasised that the President is determined to accept the committee’s resolutions with the Organised Labour and is committed to the welfare of Nigerians.
“The President has just summoned a meeting of all those who negotiated on behalf of the Federal government led by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Minister of Finance was there the Minister of budget planning, the Minister of Information,the Minister of budget and National planning, the Minister of labour and the NNPCL GMD.
“We were all there to look at all issues and the President has directed the Minister of finance to do the numbers and get back to him between today and tomorrow so that we can have figures ready for negotiation with labour”, he said.
The Minister of Information also highlighted the Federal Government’s concerns about ensuring a balance between its commitment and the realities in the country. He assured that the government is not opposed to wage increases but is working to ensure that any promises made are kept.
“And let me say that the President is determined to go with what the committee has said and he’s also looking at the welfare of Nigerians
“Government is not against or opponent of labour discussions , government is not an opponent of wage increase but what is there is that Governors always there to ensure that there is a balance between what government pronouncement is and what the realities are on ground and therefore we will work assiduously to ensure that whatever promises government make is promise that will be kept that is the idea of this meeting”.
Furthermore, Idris stated that the President has given a matching order for government representatives, the Organised Private Sector, and sub-nationals to come together to achieve a new affordable and sustainable wage award for Nigerians. The wage award is not limited to the Federal Government, but also involves the sub-nationals and the Organised Private Sector, which were absent during the initial negotiation process.
“The President has given a matching order that all those who have negotiated on behalf of the Federal government and all those who are representatives of organised private sectors,the sub nationals to come together to have a new wage award that is affordable, sustainable and that is also realistic for Nigerians.
“The wage award is not just that of the Federal government like I mentioned earlier the sub nationals are involved the Organised privated sector is involved ,it was labour that stepped out during that procedure now that we have come back to the negotiation table”, he said.
The Minister assured that all parties to the negotiation of the new minimum wage will work together with the Organised Labour to present a new minimum wage for Nigerians within one week, emphasising that all parties will work assiduously to ensure that the new wage is acceptable, sustainable, and realistic for Nigerians.
“All of us will work together assiduously within the next one week to ensure that we have a new wage for Nigeria that is acceptable ,sustainable and also realistic”, he said.
