Organised Labour has called on President Bola Tinubu to engage in consultations and reach an agreement with its leadership prior to submitting the proposed bill on the new minimum wage to the National Assembly. This appeal comes amidst delays that have stalled the anticipated National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of the union, which would involve around 300 Labour leaders.
Despite President Tinubu’s announcement in his Democracy Day broadcast that a consensus had been reached between the Federal Government and Labour on the new minimum wage, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have refuted this claim. Tinubu had assured that an executive bill would soon be sent to the National Assembly to formalise the agreement, emphasizing his administration’s commitment to a democratic approach in dealing with labour issues.
Nearly a month after this declaration, the Labour community and the Nigerian public remain in suspense over the Federal Government’s next steps. A senior Labour leader, speaking anonymously, expressed frustration over the delay. “As things stand, we cannot really do anything until we are aware of what they are trying to do. The delay in sending the bill to the National Assembly is even the reason we have yet to call for our NEC meeting,” he said.
The Labour leader emphasized the importance of consultation, cautioning that any unilateral decision by Tinubu could undermine the legislative process. “If he (Tinubu) singlehandedly takes a decision, you know it can’t be the same as the decision of the National Assembly. He needs to send the bill so the lawmakers can amend whatever he is sending and call for a public hearing,” he added.
The source also criticized the government’s apparent lack of direction and failure to consult effectively. “If he is wise as we believe, he will not make that move without consulting us directly before even sending the bill. The Presidency has no idea what to do and they don’t consult. You only need to sit with some of these people in government to know they are empty.”
Despite the stalemate, the option of a strike remains unlikely if the government sticks to its earlier proposal of N62,000. The last joint extraordinary National Executive Council meeting of the NLC and TUC, held on June 4, was convened to decide on the continuation of a strike action, which was subsequently shelved following an agreement with the government.
Negotiations between the Federal Government and Labour had previously collapsed on May 28, with Labour rejecting the N62,000 offer as insufficient. President Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, recently argued that the N250,000 demand from the workers’ union was unsustainable, suggesting that resources for the entire population could not be allocated to a small segment of workers.
Amidst the deadlock, former Abia Governor, Senator Orji Kalu, has urged the Federal Government to consider a minimum wage of N90,000, citing current economic hardships. “The government’s proposal of N62,000 might sound good enough but falls below expectations given the current hyperinflation and hardship in the country,” Kalu remarked, advocating for a more substantial increase to reflect the realities faced by Nigerian workers.