Following the commencement of a nationwide indefinite strike by the Nigerian Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress, the Federal Government on Monday appealed to the Labour Unions to return to the negotiating table and continue negotiations with the federal and state government as well as the organised private sector under the auspices of the Tripartite Committee inaugurated by the President to recommend a new and realistic national minimum wage for Nigeria.
This appeal was made by Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris in Abuja during a press conference which also had in attendance, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, Minister of state for labour, and Mr. Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy.
“This is a heartfelt and deeply considered appeal to the Labour Unions to continue along the path of negotiations with the Federal and State Governments, under the auspices of the Tripartite Committee that has been established to fashion out a new, realistic minimum wage for the Nigerian people”, Mohammed Idris started.
“As Government, we are desirous of a peaceful outcome, and we will do everything to make this happen. Yesterday, the leadership of the National Assembly met with the Unions. Today, we have offered another invitation to the Unions, to meet with us and continue our discussions.
“We will continue to engage, and continue to make ourselves very available in the context of these negotiations on behalf of the Nigerian people
“Let me make it clear that we are not opponents on this negotiating table. We are united by the fact that we want the best for the Federal Republic of Nigeria and for all 200 million citizens of the country.
“We have a responsibility to strike a measured and realistic balance, in this effort to arrive at a new minimum wage for Nigerians”, the Minister stated.
The minister went further to remind the striking Labour Unions that the minimum wage is not only for public sector workers, as it will be binding on the private sector as well. This reality he said, must be factored into the negotiations.
“As I have explained earlier, Labour’s current proposal of N494,000 is an increase of 1,547 percent on the existing wage, and translates into an annual wage bill of 9.5 Trillion Naira for the Federal Government of Nigeria alone”, Idris explained.
“This is apart from its cost implications for subnational governments and private sector employees. Such a wage bill would cripple the Nigerian economy, by leading to massive job losses especially in the private sector.
“The National Consumer Credit Scheme and the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) are additional significant demonstrations of a determination to bring relief to the people of Nigeria.
“We want the Labour Unions to understand that the relief that Nigerians are expecting, and that they fully deserve, will not come only in the form of increased wages. It will also come as efforts to reduce the cost of living, and to ensure that more money stays in the pockets of Nigerians.
“President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR) is firmly committed to doing what is right, reasonable and sustainable regarding these minimum wage negotiations. We call on the Labour Unions to reciprocate this gesture in the interest of the nation”, the Information Minister appealed.
It will be recalled that the organised Labour movement comprising the NLC and its affiliates as well as the Trade Union Congress on Monday embarked on what it described as an indefinite nationwide strike to protest the inability of the federal government to reach an agreement with them on a new national minimum wage by May 31st being the deadline the unions gave to the federal government.
The Federal Government and the organised private sector proposed N60,000 as the new national minimum wage while the labour movement is holding out for N494,000 instead leading to a deadlock in the negotiations.
Already, the national grid has been impacted by the strike action in addition to grounding of services in both public and some private sector establishments across the country.