The Federal Government has again appealed to the organised labour to return to negotiations with the tripartite committee on the new minimum wage.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, who made the appeal in Abuja on Monday, said the government is desirous of peaceful outcome and will do everything to make it happen.
While stating the desire of the government to arrive at an agreement with the labour, Idris disclosed that the National Assembly leadership had met with the labour leadership on Sunday adding that they have today offered labour another invitation to continue negotiations.
He assured that government will continue to engage and continue to make itself available in the context of these negotiations on behalf of the Nigerian people.
“Let me make it clear that we are not opponents on this negotiating table. We are united by the fact that we want the best for the Federal Republic of Nigeria and all 200 million citizens of the country,” Idris stated.
He stressed the need to strike a measured and realistic balance in the effort to arrive at a new minimum wage for Nigerians, pointing out that labour’s current proposal of N494,000 is an increase of 1,547 percent on the existing wage and translates into an annual wage bill of 9.5 trillion Naira for the Federal Government of Nigeria alone.
The Minister noted that apart from its cost implications for sub-national governments and private sector employees, such a wage bill would cripple the Nigerian economy, by leading to massive job losses especially in the private sector.
Idris pointed out that the National Consumer Credit Scheme and the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFUND) are additional significant demonstrations of government’s determination to bring relief to the people of Nigeria.
The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), had on Monday, started a nationwide industrial action after months of failed discussions with the Federal Government to agree on a new minimum wage for Nigerian workers regarding the current economic realities.
