"We were all there to look at all issues, and 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."
President Bola Tinubu has directed the Minister of Finance Minister and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, to formulate a new minimum wage and its cost implications within two days for presentation at subsequent meetings with labour.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja
This is following a meeting convened by the president with government delegates participating in negotiating a revised minimum wage structure with labour unions.
"We were all there to look at all issues, and 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," he said.
Mr Idris said President Tinubu convened the meeting which had in attendance key negotiators representing the federal government.Those present include the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume; Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu; Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha; Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila; Group Managing Director of Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited, Mele Kyari, and Mr Edun.
Mr Idris said the objective was to comprehensively assess all pertinent issues, with specific instruction for the finance minister to expedite numerical calculations and report back within the stipulated timeframe, enabling preparedness for forthcoming negotiations with labour unions.
He emphasised the government's commitment to the welfare of Nigerians, adding that the president was prepared to align with the committee's recommendations.
Mr Idris reiterated the government's receptiveness to dialogue with labour, underlining its willingness to facilitate equitable wage adjustments whilst ensuring fiscal prudence and economic viability.
"And let me say that the president is determined to go with what the committee has said, and he is also looking at the welfare of Nigerians.
"Government is not against or an opponent of labour discussions. Government is not an opponent of wage increase but what is there is that government is always there to ensure that there is a balance between what government pronouncement is and what the realities are on the ground.
"And therefore, we will work assiduously to ensure that whatever promises government make are promises that will be kept. That is the idea of this meeting," he said.
The minister underscored the collaborative nature of the wage deliberations, emphasising the involvement of sub-national entities and the private sector in the decision-making process.
He affirmed the president's directive for all relevant stakeholders to converge and formulate a sustainable, realistic wage proposal that caters to the needs of Nigerians.
"The president has given marching orders that all those who have negotiated on behalf of the federal government and all those who are representatives of organised private sectors, the sub-nationals, to come together to have a new wage award that is affordable, sustainable, and that is also realistic for Nigerians.
"The wage award is not just that of the federal government as I mentioned earlier; the sub-nationals are involved, the organised private sector is involved. It was labour that stepped out during that procedure. Now we have come back to the negotiation table," he said.
Recent negotiations between the government and labour culminated in a commitment to elevate the minimum wage beyond the current proposal of N60,000.
While specifics regarding the new wage figure remain pending, both parties are dedicated to reaching a mutually acceptable agreement expeditiously.
To expedite the process, the Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage will convene daily for a week, aiming to craft a wage structure that satisfies the interests of both the government and labour unions.
"All of us will work together assiduously within the next one week to ensure that we have a new wage for Nigeria that is acceptable, sustainable, and also realistic," Mr Idris further stressed.
PREMIUM TIMES reported that the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) suspended their industrial action for one week on Tuesday morning.
The decision to suspend the strike, which started on Monday, was taken at the joint extraordinary national executive council meeting of the unions held in Abuja on Tuesday.
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"A joint NEC meeting of TUC/NLC has approved to relax the industrial action for one week with immediate effect," the TUC President, Festus Osifo, said.
The organised labour had met with the government team led by Mr Akume, on Monday night in Abuja.
Although no amount was agreed upon as the new minimum wage, the parties agreed that the federal government would raise it above the N60,000 it currently offers.
"The President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria is committed to a National Minimum Wage that is higher than N60,000," the agreement states.
To expedite a final agreement on the new minimum wage, the Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage will meet daily over the week. The goal is to arrive at an agreeable minimum wage that meets the expectations of both the government and the labour unions.
The agreement was signed by Messrs Ajaero and Osifo on the side of labour unions whilst the Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, and the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, signed on behalf of the government.
