In the interest of the country, the Federal Government says it is prepared to provide a national minimum wage more than the N60,000 it had earlier suggested to the tripartite committee discussing the matter.
At a committee meeting called by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation on Monday night, the government revealed its decision. This came after organised labour launched an indefinite strike in support of its demand for a national minimum wage.
President Bola Tinubu pledged to support a minimum salary above N60,000, according to a circular released by the committee members following the meeting.
“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.
“Labour, in deference to the high esteem of the President, Commander-in- Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria’s commitment above, undertakes to convene a meeting of its organs immediately to consider this commitment.
“The committee also resolved that no worker will be victimised as a result of the industrial action,” the circular read in part.
Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, and Mohammed Idris, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, attended the meeting. For the Organised Labour: Festus Osifo, President of Trade Union Congress (TUC); Joe Ajaero, President, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
Recall that the administration had called a meeting with labour after the tripartite committee’s negotiations on the national minimum wage, after which Labour withdrew from the talks and went on an indefinite strike.
