The presidency, yesterday, June 25, stated that President Bola Tinubu will consult with the 36 State Governors and members of the Organized Private Sector, OPS, before arriving at the figure for the new minimum wage. The statement said that after which, the figure will be submitted to the National Assembly in the form of an Executive Bill as the new national minimum wage.
This was contained in a statement by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris.
He stated this while briefing State House correspondents at the end of the Federal Executive Council, FEC The meeting was presided over by President Tinubu at the Council Chamber, Presidential Villa, Abuja.
According to Idris, a memo on the report of the new minimum wage was presented to the Council. He, however, noted that it was stepped down. This been that it is a national matter that had to do with the Governors and the Organized Private Sector.
The Minister pointed out that it was after wider consultations with the relevant stakeholders that the President, with informed knowledge, would then forward a figure that would be the national minimum wage.
ISUKWUATO VOICE NEWSPAPERS had reported that at the end of the Tripartite Committee meeting on the new national minimum wage, the Government’s team and Organized Private Sector, OPS, offered N62,000. That was up from the current N30,000. However, the organized Labour, comprising the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and the Trade Union Congress, TUC, rejected the offer. The organized labour is demanding N250,000 living wage.
Speaking on the role of President Tinubu on the new minimum wage, NLC President, Joe Ajaero said labour had expected the President to reach out to members of the Tripartite Committee to harmonize the figure.
Ajaero reasoned that there was a stalemate at the end of the Tripartite Committee meetings. And this is what the President is trying to resolve.
But briefing State House correspondents, Idris said: “I want to inform Nigerians here that the Federal Executive Council, FEC, deliberated on that (report of the Tripartite Committee on New National Minimum Wage). And 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, State, Local Governments, and Organized Private Sector and, of course, Organized Labour.
“That memo was stepped down to enable Mr. President to consult further. Especially with the State Governors and Organized Private Sector, before he makes a presentation to the National Assembly. And 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, he can have an informed position. This is because the new national minimum wage, like I said, is not just an issue of the Federal Government.
“It affects the State Governments, and it affects the Local Governments. It also affects the Organized Private Sector. That is why it is called national minimum wage. It’s not just an affair of the Federal Government.
“So, Mr. President has studied the report and he’s going to consult wider. That is before a final submission is made to the National Assembly,” the Minister said.
source: Vanguard
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