Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, the minister of state for labour and employment, on Friday, September 13, assured Nigerians that the template for the new national minimum wage of N70,000 will be released once it is finalised.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
As reported by The Nation, Onyejeocha explained that a tripartite committee, consisting of representatives from organised labour, the private sector, and the government, is scheduled to meet with the head of the civil service of the federation, Mrs Didi Esther Walson-Jack, to finalise the adjustments related to the new wage.
She made this announcement during a town hall meeting organised by the ministry of labour and employment in Abuja.
New wage: FG opens up on delay
The minister stated that the Bola Tinubu administration should not take responsibility for the delay in payment of the new minimum wage. According to her, it was a result of the alleged failure of labour to finalise the consequential adjustment.
Onyejeocha, however, said there was hope as separate meetings were ongoing by the government and the tripartite committee.
Her words:
“As we speak there’s a meeting on the government side this morning on the new minimum wage and consequential adjustment and by 2 pm, the tripartite are meeting with the head of service. Once they get what we are supposed to pay they will start paying.
“We will not take responsibility for why the figures have to delay because, on the day we pass it, they are supposed to have gone ahead to constitute the committee and then have a figure because it doesn’t take rocket science to have figures of what we should give.
“So I believe that that one is something that will happen as soon as possible.”
Legit.ng recalls that in July, President Tinubu increased the federal government’s offer on the national minimum wage to N70,000, with an assurance that it will be reviewed after three years, instead of five years.
In a meeting with the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and that of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) at the presidential villa, Tinubu said he had to intervene in the negotiations, knowing the economic challenges faced by many citizens, and the need to provide urgent succour.
Subsequently, the president signed the new minimum wage bill into law.
NLC speaks on minimum wage implementation
Earlier, Legit reported that Joe Ajaero, the president of the NLC, asked his colleagues to ensure that all workers in the country benefit from the new national minimum wage of N70,000.
Ajaero asserted that the national minimum wage exercise cannot be said to be complete until it reaches all of our members wherever they may be working.