Bayo Onanuga, a media aide to President Bola Tinubu has described the demand of N494,000 as minimum wage by the organised labour unions as an “unreasonable demand”.
The presidential aide stated this on his X handle while sharing an update of the negotiations between the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress on the one hand and the Tripartite Committee on the National Minimum Wage on the other hand.
Onanuga said “Before the shutdown: NLC, TUC demanded N494K as the minimum wage: Read the response of the Tripartite Committee to the unreasonable demand”.
He went on to share an update of the negotiations by the two groups:At the last meeting on Tuesday 28 May, 2024, all tripartite partners were invited to make their offers. Employers made up of Government side and Organised Private Sector made offers of N60,000.00 per month which is 100% increase on the existing National Minimum Wage of 2019. On their part, the Organised Labour made an offer of N494,000 per month, which is an increase of 1,547% on the existing National Minimum Wage of 2019.
During the course of the meeting, organised labour left the meeting to continue further consultations before they shifted grounds again. These decisions were arrived at at the meeting with full attendance including the personal attendance of the Hon. Minister of Finance & Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Hon. Minister of Budget and National Planning as well as Hon. Minister of Labour & Employment. The meeting was later adjourned till Monday, 3rd June 2024.
However, after the Chairman reached out to Organised Labour, they agreed to hold the meeting on Friday, 31st June 2024. Notices were sent to all members.
At the meeting Organised Labour when called upon to make their concession, or new offers outside of the last N494,000 per month, insisted on the employers to first shift grounds. Both sides stated that their offers of N60,000.00 per month, which is 100% increase on the existing National Minimum Wage of 2019, were based on prevailing economic considerations and government’s non-monetary incentives.
Thereafter organised labour walked out of the meeting. During the continuation of the meeting the Government further defended their offer of N60,000.00 per month, was based on economic considerations and non-monetary incentives which include the following:
1. N35,000 wage award for all treasury-paid Federal workers.2. 100 billion naira for the procurement of CNG-fuelled busses and CNG conversion kits.3. 125-billion-naira conditional grant and financial inclusion to MSMEs.4. N25,000 each to be shared to 15 million households for 3 months.5. 185 billion palliatives (loans to States) to cushion the effects of fuel subsidy removal.6. 200 billion naira to support the cultivation of hectares of land to boost food production.7. 75 billion naira to strengthen the manufacturing sector.8. 1 trillion naira for student loans for higher education.
9. Release of 42,000 metric tons of grains from strategic reserves.10. Purchase and onward distribution of 60,000 metric tons of Rice from the rice millers association.11. Recent salary increase of 25-35 per cent on all consolidated Salary structures for federal workers.12. 90% subsidy on health costs for Federal Civil Servants registered on NHIS.13. Light rail commissioned in Abuja to relieve transportation cost till the end of the year. Lagos State had already commence same initiative with their Blue and Red lines.14. In addition to the freedom of Civil Servants to engage in agriculture, Federal Government has approved the inclusion of ICT services for alternate sources of income.
In conclusion, the meeting agreed that even where major and small businesses are closing down with consequent loss of jobs, the outcome of a new National Minimum Wage should be such that it will not trigger further massive job losses. It further noted that linking the strike to electricity hikes with the NMW determination was not fair to the negotiating parties.
This Statement is released by members of the Tripartite Committee on the National Minimum Wage.
SignedSecretariat TCNMW
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