FEC steps down minimum wage memo –Tinubu to consult governors, private sector

The federal executive council (FEC) has stepped down the memo on the new minimum wage for President Bola Tinubu to engage in consultations with state governors and the private sector.

Mohammed Idris, minister of information, announced the decision on Tuesday while speaking with State House correspondents at the end of the FEC meeting.

Idris said the final decision on the new national minimum wage will not only affect the federal government but also states, LGAs, and the private sector.

The information minister said Tinubu will make an informed decision after a wider consultation, adding that the new minimum wage requires input from all stakeholders.

“I want to inform Nigerians here that the federal executive council deliberated on the report of the tripartite committee on the new national minimum wage,” the minister said.

“The decision is that because the new national minimum wage is not just that of the federal government, it is an issue that involves the federal government, the state governments, local governments, and the organised private sector and of course, including the organised labour.

“That memo was stepped down to enable Mr. President to consult further, especially with the state governors and the organised private sector, before an executive bill is presented to the national assembly.

“So I want to state that on the new national minimum wage, Mr. President is going to consult further so that he can have an informed position because the new national minimum wage, like I said, is not just an issue of the federal government.

“It affects the state governments, local governments, the organised private sector. That is why it is called the national minimum wage. It’s not just an affair of the federal government.

“So, Mr. President has studied the report and he is going to consult wider before a final submission is made to the national assembly.”

BACKGROUND 

Over the past few months, the federal and state governments, organised labour, and the private sector have been negotiating on a new minimum wage.

At the last meeting of the tripartite committee on minimum wage, organised labour rejected the N62,000 proposal by the government and insisted on N250,000 as the living wage.

The federal government had asked the labour unions to demand a more realistic and sustainable minimum wage.

On June 7, governors under the aegis of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) said the N60,000 minimum wage for workers is not sustainable.

On June 10, the tripartite committee submitted its report to George Akume, secretary to the government of the federation (SGF).