President Bola Tinubu has issued a firm directive to the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, to present a new proposed minimum wage figure within the next 48 hours.
This move comes as the administration seeks to resolve the long-standing issue of the new national minimum wage.
The directive was conveyed by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, following a closed-door meeting between the President and government representatives involved in the minimum wage negotiations with organized labour.
According to Idris, President Tinubu has instructed the Minister of Finance to conduct a thorough analysis of the cost implications and provide an “affordable, sustainable, and realistic” figure for the new minimum wage within the two-day timeframe.
“The President has just summoned a meeting of all those who negotiated on behalf of the Federal government, including the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Information, the Minister of Budget and National Planning, the Minister of Laboir, and the NNPCL GMD,” Idris stated.
“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 added.
The Minister of Information emphasised the President’s determination to accept the committee’s resolutions with the organised labour and his commitment to the welfare of Nigerians.
However, he also acknowledged the government’s concerns about striking a balance between its commitments and the realities on the ground.
“The President is determined to go with what the committee has said, and he’s also looking at the welfare of Nigerians.
“The government is not against or an opponent of labour discussions or wage increases, but there is a need to ensure a balance between what the government pronounces and the realities on the ground,” Idris explained.
President Tinubu has also directed the government representatives to work closely with the organised private sector (OPS) and the sub-national governments to collectively achieve a new affordable and sustainable wage award for Nigerians.
The Minister of Information assured that all parties involved in the negotiation of the new minimum wage would work together with the organised labour to present a new minimum wage for Nigerians within one week.