Organized labor, consisting of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC), has put on hold any plans to resume their industrial action, pending the decision of President Bola Tinubu regarding the national minimum wage.
On Tuesday, the labor unions temporarily suspended their indefinite strike for a week to allow for negotiations, after rejecting the Federal Government’s initial proposal of N60,000 as the national minimum wage.
Subsequently, on Friday, the Federal Government and Organized Private Sector (OPS), through the Tripartite Committee, offered N62,000 as the new proposed minimum wage, while organized labor revised their demand from N494,000 to N250,000.
Addressing the International Labour Conference in Geneva, Switzerland, NLC President Joe Ajaero stated that the labor unions were not proceeding with the strike as they awaited President Tinubu’s decision.
“The tripartite committee presented two figures to the President: N62,000 proposed by the government and employers, and N250,000 proposed by labor. We are now waiting for the President’s decision. Our National Executive Council (NEC) will discuss the new figure once it is released. We cannot declare a strike at this point, as the decision lies with the President. We will patiently await his response.”
Ajaero further highlighted the issue of state governors expressing their inability to sustain the N60,000 minimum wage.
“How can any governor claim they cannot afford to pay? They should not advocate for the decentralization of the minimum wage while their own salaries remain centralized. Governors who contribute nothing to the national purse and generate meager Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) receive the same amount as governors whose states generate billions of dollars. They should decentralize their own salaries and allowances first.”
He singled out Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State, who is currently paying a minimum wage of N70,000, as an exemplary leader who should be emulated.
“So, where is Governor Obaseki getting his funds from? This is the kind of governor that others should follow, not the lazy ones.”
