Labour Denies Tinubu’s Claims of Agreement on New Minimum Wage, Reiterates Demands

In a firm rejection of President Bola Tinubu’s claims, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has stated there is no agreement on a new national minimum wage. President Tinubu had announced in his Democracy Day address that a consensus had been reached and a bill would be presented to the National Assembly.

Joe Ajaero, NLC President, clarified that as of the last meeting on June 7, no agreement was finalized by the Tripartite Committee on the National Minimum Wage. The committee had proposed two figures: N250,000 from Labour and N62,000 from the government and Organized Private Sector (OPS), which were yet to be harmonized and submitted to the President.

NLC’s Acting President, Prince Adewale Adeyanju, emphasized that any contrary reports were unacceptable and likely doctored. He criticized the President’s claim of a five-year duration for the new wage law, reiterating that no such agreement was made.

In a statement titled “Tinubu’s Democracy Day Speech and National Minimum Wage Negotiation: May Be Accurate in History, Inaccurate in Reality,” Adeyanju noted, “The NLC attentively listened to the Democracy Day Presidential address, especially concerning the ongoing National Minimum Wage negotiations. It is evident that the President has been misinformed regarding the outcome of the wage negotiation process.”

He continued, “We appreciate the President’s commitment to democratic ideals but expected him to harmonize the figures submitted by the Tripartite Committee in favor of workers and the masses, which would have been a fitting Democracy Day gift.”

The NLC reiterated its demand for N250,000 as the new minimum wage and rejected any figure that approximates a starvation wage. They also highlighted instances of intimidation and harassment faced by trade union leaders during the negotiation process, contradicting the President’s claim of a cooperative environment.

The NLC urged the President to prepare an Executive Bill reflecting the true demand of Nigerian workers and warned against accepting any doctored documents. They called for a fair and just minimum wage that would lift Nigerian workers out of poverty, aligning with the President’s promise of a Living Wage.

The Labour Congress remains committed to justice, equity, and fairness for all Nigerians, hoping the President will demonstrate his support for these principles by addressing the true needs of the workers and masses.