The TUC, or Trade Union Congress, is optimistic that the new minimum wage will go into effect by the end of July.
When Festus Osifo, the union president, met with Onuh Edoka, the Kogi State governor’s special labour adviser, and his entourage in Abuja, he made this declaration.
Osifo stated that in order for the measure to be expeditiously considered by President Bola Tinubu and the National Assembly and eventually become law, the National Tripartite Negotiation Committee, which is composed of representatives from organised labour and the government, needed to establish a middle ground.
The goal that both labour centres are working towards is having a new minimum wage by the end of July. This wage must have gone through the proper channels and been approved by the president in order to improve the lot of workers and address the economic difficulties that our nation is currently facing. As a result of the rapidly rising rate of inflation, the average worker will be able to go to the market and purchase one or two items to support their family.
As you are aware, the government and organised private sector have submitted N62,000, while Labour has submitted N25,000. Allow the parties to reconcile. Allow everyone to gather together. At the end of the day, we will have a new national minimum wage because we will come to an agreement and present a united front, enabling the President to transmit the measure to the National Assembly. This is important, he continued; it’s a problem that affects all labour unions in Nigeria today
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While applauding Kogi State’s administration for providing explanation on how the N30,000 minimum salary is paid to employees, Osifo pointed out that state governments need to start making arrangements to start implementing the new wage as soon as it becomes a law.
“We are not even dwelling on the N30,000 again at this moment,” he declared. I was listening to a state—I believe it was Nasarawa State—say that they had begun putting money away to cover their duties in the event that a new minimum wage was established. Therefore, I would also like to request that in Kogi, given the current financial hardship, that be given high priority.
“I would also like to take this opportunity to urge the other states to start making plans to implement the new minimum wage. In labour today, we are fully prepared to ensure that the new Minimum Wage Act is implemented as we will be following it state by state once it is passed.
“Let the workers breathe a sigh of relief. We have faith and confidence that the Kogi State government will take the necessary action because it has a high labour representation.
Speaking earlier, Kogi State Governor Onuh Edoka, the Special Advisor on Labour Matters to Governor Ahmed Ododo, stated that the current administration has addressed the flaws of the previous one, particularly with regard to the welfare of the workforce.
