Minimum Wage: President Tinubu, Labour Leaders Meeting Postponed Till Next Week

Thursday’s discussions between President Bola Tinubu and the Organized Labour regarding the minimum wage were postponed until next week to allow for broader consultation with all stakeholders.

The leadership of the Organized Labour, represented by the Presidents of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Joe Ajaero, and the Trade Union Congress, Festus Osifo, arrived at the State House around 2:00 pm and proceeded to Tinubu’s office.

The Tripartite Committee on the new national minimum wage recently presented two proposals to the President: the organized private sector and the government team proposed N62,000, while the Organized Labour demanded N250,000.

Due to the disagreement over the amount, the President decided to delay submitting any figure to the National Assembly via an Executive Bill to allow for further consultation with all relevant stakeholders and to address the contentious issues.

Ajaero, who addressed State House journalists after the meeting, said there were no negotiations at the one-hour meeting.

Rather, it was a discussion on the current economic realities in the country, he stated.

“In a real sense, it wasn’t a negotiation but a discussion and we have had that discussion. We agreed to look at the real terms, probably and reconvene in the next one week.

“So, that’s where we are because we didn’t go down there to talk naira and kobo. At least there were some basic issues that we agreed on.”

Asked whether the Organised Labour insisted on the N250,000 demand at the meeting, the NLC helmsman said, “I remember mentioning that we didn’t go into naira and kobo discussion.

“Now the status quo in terms of the amount N250,000 and N62,000 remains until we finish this conversation.”

Also speaking was the President of TUC, Osifo, who said the Organised Labour put all the economic indices on the table and how it was biting on Nigerians.

Fielding questions on the points of agreement, Osifo said, “In the meeting, we tried to put the issues on the table. Issues that are bordering and biting Nigerians today, the economic difficulties and the value of naira, how it has also eroded, how these have affected the prices of commodities and goods in the market.

“So, we tried to put these before Mr President because he is the President of the country and the bulk stops at his table.

“We have had all the conversations with all his agents, but today (Thursday) we said let us meet with the father of the country and have this conversation and make the argument that Labour always makes.

“We made all the arguments, the economic analysis, macro, micro, fiscal and monetary issues. So we put everything forward and at the end. The President made his remark as the President and we all agreed. Let’s go back to internalise it, have some conversations and by one week’s time, we will come back and we will continue the meeting.”

Despite the deadlock, the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, told reporters that the meeting was “fruitful.”

“It is a fruitful meeting; father, children meeting. I think we are hopeful that very soon everything will be resolved.

“Of course, when father and children talk you know what it is?

“That’s just exactly what has happened. It took us almost about an hour. I believe that it’s all for good,” she argued.

On his part, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said he remained hopeful of a positive result after next week’s talks.

Idris explained, “Recall that already there is 62,000 naira that has been put out there from the government side and the organized private sector but the Organised Labour is still not accepting that but we know that they will come to the table, we know that this is something that is going to be workable for Nigerians.