"Though the FG is desirous of ample remuneration for workers, President Tinubu will not encourage any action that could lead to massive job losses, especially in the private sector, which may not be able to pay the wage being demanded by Labour," the minister said.
The Nigerian government said Saturday that the minimum wage demand of labour unions was unrealistic and the government's offer of a 100 per cent increase on the existing minimum wage should be accepted by aggrieved workers.
The government thus urged the two major labour unions, NLC and TUC, to shelve their indefinite strike which is scheduled to commence on Monday across Nigeria.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, urged the labour unions to return to the negotiation table.
He described the N494,000 new national minimum wage demand by Labour as unrealistic and capable of destabilising the economy.
Mr Idris, at a news conference in Abuja, said the demand, if effected, would amount to a N9.5 trillion bill for the federal government.
He stressed that aside from destabilising the economy, it would also jeopardise the welfare of over 200 million Nigerians.
Mr Idris explained that the offer of N60,000 minimum wage by the federal government, which translates to a 100 per cent increase on the existing N30,000 minimum wage of 2019, has been accepted by the Organized Private Sector (OPS), which is a member of the tripartite committee of the negotiation team.
"What Labour is demanding - N494,000, would increase by 1,547 per cent the existing wage. It would cumulatively amount to a N9.5 trillion bill for the federal government.
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"Nigerians need to understand that whereas the FG is desirous of ample remuneration for workers, President Bola Tinubu will not encourage any action that could lead to massive job losses, especially in the private sector, which may not be able to pay the wage being demanded by the Organised Labour," the minister said.
Mr Idris noted that while the labour unions were keen on the take-home of about 1.2 million workers, the federal government was concerned about the welfare of over 200 million Nigerians based on its guiding principle of affordability, sustainability, and the overall health of the nation's economy.
He disclosed that because of the commitment of the Tinubu administration to the welfare of workers, the wage award of N35,000 for federal workers would continue until a new national minimum wage is agreed on and introduced.
PREMIUM TIMES reports that the labour unions' demand for a N494,000 minimum wage was based on the huge increase in the cost of living for Nigerians caused by government policies, particularly the removal of subsidies on petrol and the floating of the naira.
The unions have vowed to continue the strike until the government meets their demands or the government significantly ups its minimum wage offer.
Mr Idris's statement, suggesting that the government would not go beyond the N60,000 offer, indicates that the strike may be a prolonged one.
