The Federal Government and Organized Labour have decided to pause their negotiations until Thursday. This break is to allow the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, to present a crucial salary template to President Bola Tinubu.
The decision follows President Tinubu’s directive on Tuesday, asking the finance minister to outline the financial impact of a new national minimum wage within two days. This directive was given during a meeting with the government’s negotiation team, led by George Akume, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.
Sources from the Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage told Punch that both government officials and labour representatives are eager to review the financial details of the proposed wage increase before continuing negotiations. This step is vital to ensure any agreement is financially feasible and sustainable.
A meeting attendee stated, “The meeting has been adjourned until Thursday. We showed understanding because we all know that the president gave the minister of finance 48 hours to come up with a minimum wage. So, we decided to give them the time. We will be meeting by 2 p.m.”
A top labour official, speaking anonymously, emphasized the importance of the template to the negotiation process. The official expressed confidence that discussions would progress significantly once the template is presented.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, indicated that the President wants to understand the financial implications of the new minimum wage within 48 hours. Briefing journalists on the directive, Idris said, “The President has directed the minister of finance to do the numbers and get back to him between today and tomorrow so that we can have figures ready for negotiation with labour.”
Idris assured that the President is ready to accept the committee’s resolutions, emphasizing, “The President is determined to go with what the committee has said and he’s also looking at the welfare of Nigerians. The government is not against or an opponent of labour discussions; the government is not an opponent of wage increase, but we must balance government pronouncements with the realities on the ground.”
Furthermore, President Tinubu directed government representatives to work with the organized private sector and sub-national entities to establish a new affordable wage for Nigerians. Idris explained, “The President has given a marching order for representatives of the Federal Government, organized private sectors, and sub-nationals to come together to achieve a new wage that is affordable, sustainable, and realistic for Nigerians.”
The minister reassured that all parties would work diligently to present a new minimum wage within a week. “We will work together within the next week to ensure that we have a new wage for Nigeria that is acceptable, sustainable, and realistic,” Idris said.
