In a move to ensure a comprehensive approach to determining a new national minimum wage, President Bola Tinubu has announced plans to consult with the 36 state governors and members of the organized private sector.
This decision was disclosed by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
“The Federal Executive Council deliberated on the report of the Tripartite Committee on the 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 government, the state governments, local governments, and the organized private sector, and of course, including the organized labour,” Idris explained.
The Minister emphasized that the President wants to engage in wider consultations to arrive at an informed position on the matter.
“The new national minimum wage is not just an issue of the federal government. It affects the state governments, local governments, and the organized private sector. That is why it is called national minimum wage. It’s not just an affair of the federal government,” he said.
The FEC meeting had considered a memo on the report of the Tripartite Committee on the new national minimum wage but stepped it down to allow for further consultations. The committee had proposed a figure of N62,000, while the organized labor demanded a living wage of N250,000.
It will be recalled that Comrade Joe Ajaero, President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), had expressed expectation that the President would harmonize the figure with the committee members.
“We had expected the President to reach out to the members of the Tripartite Committee to harmonize the figure,” Ajaero said.
The Minister, however, assured that the President would present a figure to the National Assembly only after consulting with the relevant stakeholders.
“Mr. President has studied the report and will consult wider before making a final submission to the National Assembly. He wants to have an informed position before presenting a figure to the National Assembly,” Idris stated.
The move is seen as an effort to ensure a consensus-driven approach to determining the new national minimum wage, which will have far-reaching implications for workers, employers, and the economy as a whole.
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