Labour Convenes Emergency Meeting Over FG’s Delay on Minimum Wage Decision

By Iyojo Ameh

Members of the organized labour, comprising the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), have called for an emergency meeting following the Federal Executive Council’s (FEC) decision to defer the memo on the minimum wage.

The meeting aims to address concerns raised by FEC’s postponement of the minimum wage memo, as confirmed by a senior official at the NLC headquarters.

According to the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, the FEC meeting discussed all 39 items on its agenda except the crucial memo pertaining to the minimum wage.

He explained that the Tripartite committee, involving local governments, states, NLC/TUC, and the federal government, had submitted its report.

“The memo on the new minimum wage was deferred to allow for wider consultations,” Minister Idris stated, noting that President Bola Tinubu would engage stakeholders before submitting a final proposal to the National Assembly.

Speaking anonymously, a top NLC official emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating, “Even though we had a prior position, we will convene tomorrow morning to refine our stance before consultations with the President. This is crucial for us.”

Recall that earlier this month, organised labour had initiated a two-day nationwide strike to emphasize their demand for an increased minimum wage, temporarily disrupting economic activities across the country.