The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has appealed to the Organised Labour to call off the ongoing strike action over the new national minimum wage and return to the negotiation table in the best interest of the country. Idris, in the company of the Minister of State for Labour, Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, and the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr.
Bayo Onanuga, made the call at a press briefing in Abuja on Monday. “This is a heartfelt and deeply considered appeal to the Labour Unions to continue along the path of negotiations with the Federal and State Governments, under the auspices of the Tripartite Committee that has been established to fashion out a new, realistic minimum wage for the Nigerian people. “As Government, we are desirous of a peaceful outcome, and we will do everything to make this happen.
Yesterday, the leadership of the National Assembly met with the Unions. Today, we have offered another invitation to the Unions, to meet with us and continue our discussions. “We will continue to engage, and continue to make ourselves readily available in the context of these negotiations on behalf of the Nigerian people,” he said.
The Minister reiterated government’s position that Labour’s current proposal of N494,000 minimum wage, which translates into an annual wage bill of N9.5 trillion for the Federal Government of Nigeria alone was unrealistic and capable of crippling the Nigerian economy, by lea.