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Minimum Wage: Labour Warns Governors Against Harmful Advice, Await President’s Decision

Published

6 months ago

Jun 23, 2024.

NLC and TUC warn governors against poor advice and await President Tinubu’s decision on minimum wage proposals, rejecting a ₦62,000 offer and demanding ₦250,000 instead.

Eko Hot Blog reports that the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) issued a warning on Saturday to certain governors, cautioning them against giving advice that could lead to widespread resentment, misery, and impoverishment in the country.

The Organized Labour emphasized that President Bola Tinubu’s decision on the two proposals from the Tripartite Committee on the National Minimum Wage would dictate their subsequent actions.

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Reports indicate that the government team and the organized private sector proposed a ₦62,000 minimum wage during the final meeting of the Tripartite Committee on the New National Minimum Wage. However, the organized labour groups rejected this offer, advocating instead for a ₦250,000 living wage.

Comrade Benson Upah, the NLC’s Head of Information, informed Saturday Vanguard that the two labour centers would review the President’s submission to the National Assembly before deciding on their next steps. He ruled out the immediate option of a strike, stating that not every issue is resolved through strikes, which are considered a last resort.

Addressing concerns about delays in President Tinubu’s announcement on the wage figure to be sent to the National Assembly, Comrade Upah urged patience, noting that the report was submitted during a period marked by Democracy Day and the Sallah holiday, causing delays as key stakeholders were traveling.

He said, “As at the time the Tripartite Committee submitted the report to the President, there was Democracy Day and then the Sallah break, all of which were practically lumped together for the political stakeholders to travel.”

“So, on the length of time taken for the transmission of the executive bill, we have no issue with that; what we are concerned about is what will be transmitted to the National Assembly.”

Asked what will be the reaction of the organized labour if the government decides to go with the N62,000 as offered by the government and the organized private sector against the labour’s demand of N250,000, he said, “Well, let the government come up with it first, and then I even want you to note that there is division in the ranks of the government team, with the governors saying they can’t even pay the N62,000. So, whatever the government transmits to the National Assembly, will determine our mood. So, let us wait to reach the bridge before we climb it.”

On the allegation that the state governors are the obstacle to the new minimum wage and what would be the position of the organized labour towards the disposition of the governors to a new living wage, Upah said that the governors have a negative disposition to a new living wage are in the minority but very vocal.

Labour Warns Governors

According to him, “In fairness, we will not say that the state governors are the obstacle; it is a vocal minority in the ranks of the governors that is projecting the governors as bad and dishonest people, and we know that minority group. Quite a number of governors have come out to say that whatever they say is the minimum wage, we are ready to pay, quite a number of them have said so.

“Our message is to the vocal minority group in the rank of the governors, giving the governors a bad name, misleading the President, and creating a major social problem in the country. We would warn them to retrace their steps; their behaviour in their state has not enhanced the wealth or capacity of their states.

“We will advise them to retrace their steps instead of giving a piece of advice that is capable of plunging the country into a state of impoverishment, the state of misery, and the state of resentment.

“Quite a number of Nigerians have come out to speak publicly; in fact, out of five Nigerians, four have come out to say that labour has a very good case, so government should do the needful and shame the devil.”

On the possibility of labour going on strike, if the government remains adamant about paying ₦62,000, he said, “We have said again and again that whatever government offers in the final analysis will be subject to the decision of the appropriate organs of the two labour centres.