The Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, has appealed to organized labour; Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC and Trade Union Congress, TUC to be considerate in the demand for minimum wage.
Recall that the organized labour and the Federal Government have been at logger heads as to the new minimum wage.
But speaking at a meeting with the labour leaders, Onyejeocha urged them to be considerate and patriotic in their demands.
The Minister made the appeal in a statement signed by the Director of Press and Public Relations in the ministry, Olajide Oshundun, on Wednesday in Abuja.
News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, on Tuesday reported that the Tripartite Committee on the Minimum Wage resumed negotiation on Tuesday.
The Agency reported that the Federal Government had offered Labour N60,000 as the new minimum wage for workers.
But the Organized Labour also presented N494,000 as the new national minimum wage for workers in the country.
According to the statement, the Minister stated that the Federal Government had consistently taken steps to secure a fair and realistic wage for Nigerian workers.
Onyejeocha, therefore, urged organized labour to recognize that the nation’s economy which is still on the path of recovery from the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and other economic distresses.
The statement read: “We appeal to organized labour and indeed, other relevant stakeholders to be considerate. They should be patriotic in their demands, recognizing that our economy is still recovering from the devastating effects of the pandemic and other global economic shocks.
“We are committed to putting the people first and ensuring that our economic policies benefit all Nigerians, not just a select few.
“The Government remain dedicated to prioritizing the well-being of our citizens. And we want to urge all relevant parties to demonstrate patriotism and understanding.
“This is particularly during this critical period when the President, Bola Tinubu, is working diligently to revitalize the economy,” she said.
The Labour Minister, therefore, stated that the Government recognized that the economic challenges faced by Nigerians were complex and multifaceted. She, therefore, called for a collective effort of all stakeholders to overcome the economic challenges.
Onyejeocha pointed that the meeting with organized labour was a significant step in the ongoing efforts to secure a fair and realistic wage for Nigerian workers.
She said, “As a Government, we recognize the importance of ensuring that our citizens receive a decent standard of living. And we are committed to making this a reality.
“After hours of intense negotiations, labour leaders took a recess to consult with other key stakeholders. And they have pledged to return to the negotiating table for further discussion.
“We welcome this development and are optimistic that our continued engagement will yield a positive outcome.
“In light of the current economic conditions, we have made a concessionary move from N57,000 to N60,000,” the Minister said.
Onyejeocha also stated that the increase was a demonstration of government’s willingness to listen to the concerns of labour. And Government’s commitment to work towards a mutually beneficial agreement.
“We understand that the current economic landscape is challenging. And we are doing everything in our power to mitigate its effects on our citizens,” he said.
source: NAN
