As the nationwide strike embarked upon by organised labour enters its second day, the federal government has appealed to striking workers to call off the ongoing industrial action and return to the negotiation table in the country’s best interest. Minister of information and national orientation, Mohammed Idris, who was accompanied by the minister of state for labour, Hon Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, and the special adviser to the president on information and strategy, Bayo Onanuga, made the call at a press briefing in Abuja, yesterday. “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 desire a peaceful outcome, and we will do everything to make this happen. On 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 information minister reiterated the government’s position that Labour’s current proposal of N494,000, which translates into an annual wage bill of N9.5 trillion for the Federal Government of Nigeria alone, is unrealistic an.