President Bola Tinubu assured Nigerian workers that the issues causing the delay in pronouncing the long-awaited new minimum wage, which had dashed workers’ hopes, would soon be resolved.
Speaking at the commemoration of Workers’ Day (May Day) in Abuja, Tinubu, represented by Vice President Ibrahim Shettema, pledged that his government would consider not only a minimum wage but also a living wage for workers.
He highlighted the establishment of a 37-member Tripartite Committee on Minimum Wage by the Federal Government on January 30th, 2024, with the mandate to recommend a national minimum wage aligned with current economic conditions.
“You would recall that on January 30th, 2024, the Federal Government convened a 37-member Tripartite Committee on Minimum Wage. The committee’s mandate was to provide counsel and suggest a national minimum wage that aligns with our current economic conditions. Since then, the committee, in collaboration with labour leaders, has been diligently working towards proposing a new National Minimum Wage. Unfortunately, despite concerted efforts, the committee was unable to reach a consensus at its last meeting
“This shall be resolved soon and I assure you that your days of worrying are over. Indeed, this government is open to the committee’s suggestion of not just a minimum wage but a living wage.”
Tinubu further urged Nigerian workers to embrace industrial harmony and trust that his administration will deliver on the promises of better living conditions for workers and all Nigerians.
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“We took office at the time many nations, including ours, were experiencing daunting socio-political and developmental challenges. Yet, we are resolute in confronting these obstacles head-on. The scourge of criminality, from banditry to kidnapping and the farmer-herder crises, alongside terrorism, continues to afflict our nation despite the tireless efforts of our armed forces. We are aware of the toll this takes on our economy. I assure you: we are fully committed to tackling these security challenges.
“We cannot achieve a just and equitable society that caters to the needs of every member, including the strong and the weak, without fostering peace and unity. Our shared vision for national growth and development can only be realised in an atmosphere of industrial harmony and peaceful coexistence in every segment of our country. The dividends we have promised the nation, and which you work tirelessly to ensure, can only be achieved when we all unite for progress.
“On this momentous day, I urge you and all our fellow citizens to place your trust in this administration. The seeds of greatness planted in our nation are beginning to bear fruit, and they promise a future filled with hope and bound by prosperity.
“Let me assure you, with the utmost sincerity, that every initiative undertaken by this administration is geared towards transforming Nigeria into a nation that can truly provide for its people”
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