FG, labour reach agreement on new minimum wage

The federal government and organised labour have agreed on the fixing of a new minimum wage that is above N60,000. 

The agreement was reached at the end of a meeting held on Monday between leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Trade Union Congress (TUC), and representatives of the federal government.

The meeting was called by the federal government after labour commenced an indefinite nationwide strike to demand a living wage.

George Akume, the secretary to the government of the federation (SGF), who read the resolutions reached at the end of the meeting, said, “President Bola Tinubu is committed to a national minimum wage that is higher than N60,000”.

“Let me reassure Nigerians that we have had a very realistic and patriotic meeting, and the results will be manifesting,” Akume said.

The SGF said the tripartite committee would be meeting everyday for the next one week to arrive at an agreeable national minimum wage.

He added that the “labour in deference to the high esteem of the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria’s commitment” to a minimum wage that is above N60,000, “undertakes to convene a meeting of its organs immediately to consider this commitment”.

Akume also assured that the meeting agreed that no worker would be victimized as a result of the industrial action.

THE STRIKE ACTION

On Monday, activities in public schools, government offices, airports, and many public institutions were grounded owing to the indefinite strike declared by the labour.

The labour unions declared an indefinite strike due to the federal government’s inability to agree with the proposed minimum wage.

The NLC and TUC have repeatedly proposed N615,500 and N494,000 as the new national minimum wage, citing inflation and the prevailing economic hardship in the country.