FG: Minimum wage bill will be sent to n’assembly after labour meeting with Tinubu

Mohammed Idris, minister of information and national orientation, says an executive bill on the new minimum wage bill will be sent to the national assembly after President Bola Tinubu meets with organised labour on Thursday.

On July 11, leaders of organised labour met with Tinubu at the presidential villa over the new minimum wage.

Labour has insisted on a N250,000 minimum wage ahead of the meeting with the president.

On June 3, the labour unions grounded the nation’s economy over the minimum wage dispute.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) had proposed N494,000 as the new national minimum wage, citing inflation and the prevailing economic hardship in the country.

The organised labour had rejected the N62,000 minimum wage proposed by the government.

At the last meeting of the tripartite committee, organised labour lowered its demand to N250,000.

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

The organised labour is scheduled to meet with the president on Thursday as a continuation of the July 11 discussion on the new minimum wage.

Idris, who spoke with State House correspondents in Abuja on Monday, said the new minimum wage bill will be transmitted to the national assembly after Tinubu meets with organized organised labour.

The minister also said a supplementary budget will be sent to parliament to cover the new minimum wage.

“Now, you are also aware that last week, the Nigeria Labour Congress met the president. This, of course, was part of the consultation to which the president has agreed,” he said.

“Recall that he had met organised sector; he had also met sub-nationals after the tripartite committee on labour had submitted its report to ensure that there is a thorough analysis of the situation so that the government would come up with a minimum wage that works for all Nigerians, the federal government, the sub-nationals, and the organised private sector.

“That was also discussed today. And the government has also directed the ministry of budgets to come up with additional support for the 2024 budget so that any differential or any gaps that will exist in terms of what existed before the 2024 budget were approved, a supplementary budget, and also what the requirement is for now.

“So, the government is working around the clock to ensure that it comes up with a minimum wage, like I said, that works for all Nigerians.

“At the end of the day, this, of course, will be submitted to the national assembly so that you can have legislative backing.

“Let me also say that the president is also open to meeting the Nigeria Labour Congress, the Trade Union Congress, and all the affiliates. We expect that meeting to hold this coming Thursday.

“Recall that this was already what the labour unions requested during their meeting with Mr President last week.

“So, the president is in agreement, he knows that the labour wants to quickly find a lasting solution to the issue of minimum wage, and the government is also assured to put the issue of minimum wage behind it.

“So’ it is expected that the NLC, TUC, and all the affiliates, as requested by them last week, will meet the president on Thursday, after which the president will now transmit whatever the final agreement or what his views are on the tripartite committee report to the national assembly for legislation.”