In light of the ongoing impasse over the new minimum wage, Senate President Godswill Akpabio has urged Chief Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration to keep paying out the N35,000 wage award to employees.
In the midst of the unions’ planned industrial action, Akpabio made this appeal on Sunday during a closed-door meeting with leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Trade Union Congress (TUC), and numerous ministries.
Speaking to the union leaders, Akpabio underlined how crucial it is to resume talks and put an end to the strike for the good of the country.
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“I hope you know we are also labourers. We are all labourers. We are under you,” he remarked.
Taking into account factors like the elimination of the gasoline subsidy and the amount of time that has passed since the last minimum wage adjustment, Akpabio acknowledged the drawn-out nature of the minimum wage negotiations and the formation of a tripartite committee to address the matter.
Akpabio Stated, “We have been making appeals and asked the NLC and TUC to shelve the proposed strike and return to the negotiating table to resolve the issue.
“I appeal that the strike be suspended for negotiations to continue in the interest of Nigerians and the nation.”
“The leadership of both chambers is aware that there was a tripartite committee in place to negotiate with labour on the new minimum wage for the country, taking cognisance of all the variables, including the removal of fuel subsidy, including the expiration of time since the last minimum wage was imputed.
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“We are aware that those negotiations have taken quite a while. We are aware that the federal government, in its wisdom through President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, decided to institute a wage award of N35,000 at the federal level for workers pending the outcome of negotiations of a new minimum wage,” he added.
In an effort to protest the federal government’s refusal to raise the minimum wage above N60,000, the NLC and TUC went on strike on Monday. The unions are calling for an N494,000 increase in the minimum wage.
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