President Bola Tinubu has said that his government is in negotiations with Nigerian Labour Unions to come up with a minimum wage that will be fair and implementable by the 36 state governments in the country.
The President who made this known in an interview explained that his government is taking into account the financial health of the states before deciding on a new minimum wage that would be applicable across all sectors countrywide.
He said, “I understand the concerns regarding the unveiling of the new minimum wage and how states will manage these changes, especially those with fewer resources. To address this, my administration has approved a provisional increase in the federal minimum wage to N35,000 per month for a six-month period, two months of which have already been paid.
“This decision follows extensive consultations with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC). In managing the situation with the states, we are working closely with them to ensure the new wage structure is practical and sustainable. It’s important that each state’s unique financial situation is considered. We are focused on strategies to help states strengthen their economies, considering factors like tax efficiency and economic diversification.
“We are committed to ongoing dialogues with labour unions and state governments. This collaborative approach is crucial to ensure that the new minimum wage is fair, reasonable, and implementable across all states. Our goal is to balance the economic well-being of our workers with the overall financial health of the nation. We ask Nigerians to be rest assured that our administration will not rest until we have delivered a sustainable solution in the best interest of Nigerians.”
Meanwhile, the organised labour in the country had declared that they would soon come up with a strong position on the suspension of the payment of the wage award to civil servants and warned the federal and state governments to prepare to increase the minimum wage from the current N30,000 monthly.
It also warned state governors that they would have no choice but to pay the minimum wage once it is signed into law next year.
Source: Sahara Reporters
