- To Send Bill to the National Assembly Soon
By Tolúlopé Olátúnjí
President Bola Tinubu has announced that a consensus has been reached between the Federal Government and Organized Labour on a new minimum wage.
In his national broadcast to mark Democracy Day 2024 in Abuja on Wednesday, Tinubu disclosed that an executive bill will soon be sent to the National Assembly to formalize the agreement.
Tinubu stated:”In this spirit, we have negotiated in good faith and with open arms with organized labour on a new national minimum wage,”
“We shall soon send an executive bill to the National Assembly to enshrine what has been agreed upon as part of our law for the next five years or less,” the President added
The President emphasized his commitment towards ensuring that no Nigerian is oppressed, adding, “I take on this vital task without fear or favor and I commit myself to this work until we have built a Nigeria where no man is oppressed. Our national greatness will not be achieved by traveling the easy road but by taking the right one.”
Quoting former American President Franklin Roosevelt, Tinubu said, “There are many ways of going forward, but only one way of standing still.”
Tinubu urged Nigerians to remain hopeful and proactive in the pursuit of a better future. He said:”We dare not slumber lest the good things awaiting our immediate future pass us by. We dare not plant our feet in an idle standstill in the middle of the intersection of hope and despair.
“We know the proper way forward and we shall take it! The initial rays of a brighter tomorrow now appear on the early horizon.” he further noted.
He continued, “An abundant future and our capacity to achieve that future lie within our reach. Democracy and the institutions it begets offer to take us to our profound destination.”
“Let us board this progressive train together. Together, let us move Nigeria forward. Let’s continue to keep the fire of democracy burning. Let’s keep the torch lit for generations to come.” Tinubu emphatically said.
The New Diplomat reports that Organized Labour, comprising of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC,) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) on June 3, began a nationwide indefinite strike over the Federal Government’s refusal to raise the proposed minimum wage from ₦60,000. This action came after several failed negotiations between the government and labor unions.
It would be recalled that on May 1, 2024, organized labor issued an ultimatum to the Federal Government, demanding the conclusion of minimum wage negotiations by the end of the month. While the government and the Organised Private Sector agreed on ₦62,000, labor demanded ₦250,000.
The Assistant General Secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Chris Onyeka, stated that labor would not accept the latest offer of ₦62,000 or the ₦100,000 proposal made by some individuals and economists.
