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The Organised Labour expressed dissatisfaction on Tuesday with the decision of the Federal Executive Council to postpone the consideration of the report of the Tripartite Committee on New National Minimum Wage.
The Head of Public Relations of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Benson Upah, criticized the FEC for not addressing the memo during Tuesday’s meeting, stating that stepping down the tripartite committee report "leads to harmful speculation."
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, informed journalists after the council meeting that the FEC postponed the memorandum on the new minimum wage to allow for further consultations between President Bola Tinubu, state governors, local government authorities, and the private sector.
Idris explained that the council deferred action on the memo because the Federal Government is not the only stakeholder in the national minimum wage issue.
The Federal Government, Organised Private Sector, and Labour had conducted numerous meetings on the new minimum wage, with NLC and Trade Union Congress leaders insisting on N250,000, while the Federal Government, states, and the OPS made a counter-offer of N62,000.
However, state governors argued that they would not be able to sustain any minimum wage higher than N60,000.
Chris Onyeka, the Assistant General Secretary of the NLC stated that Labour would not accept the latest offer of N62,000 or the N100,000 proposal made by some individuals and economists.
NLC President Joe Ajaero mentioned that the unionists were awaiting the President's consideration of Labour's proposal.
Meanwhile, at the opening of the 2024 Synod of the Charismatic Bishops Conference of Nigeria in Abuja, the information minister emphasized the necessity of a realistic wage system that could prevent mass layoffs while addressing workers' needs.
