The Chairman of the Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage, Bukar Aji, has urged members to approach the final stage of their assignment with honesty, patriotism, respect and accommodation in the national interest.
Aji, who made the call at the 4th plenary meeting of the committee, also stressed the need to move beyond emotional appeals and embrace rational thinking, considering the numerous competing demands from citizens.
He urged members of the committee to focus their minds on doing the right thing even when such a decision is difficult and goes against the committee’s position.
A statement issued on Wednesday by the Head of Press, National Salaries Incomes and Wages Commission, Emmanuel Njoku, said the committee chairman, a former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, acknowledged the friendly, cordial, and informative nature of the assignment so far, expressing hope that the remaining work would be completed with a sense of responsibility and love for country.
He encouraged robust discussions, understanding and acceptable recommendations for a new National Minimum Wage.
The chairman emphasized the importance of prioritizing the country’s interest, even when decisions are difficult and go against personal positions, stressing that the committee’s guiding principle should be “country first” and national interest.
He said: “The build-up to today in undertaking this national assignment has been friendly, cordial, educative, and informative which gives me a safe comfort that we shall run the remaining part of this national duty with a sense of responsibility and love of country.
“I will crave the indulgence of each one of us and solicit a robust discussion with a greater understanding of each other’s position and put forward an acceptable recommendation for a new National Minimum Wage.
“No matter how difficult the decisions are for everyone, there must be a decision. In this drive, the philosophy of country first and National Interest should be our guiding principle.”