NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT KEEPS MUM ON MINIMUM WAGE AFTER FEDERAL EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEETING

The Minister when asked about the minimum wage issue as discussed at the meeting said he cannot ”because the National Economic Council (NEC), will have to also discuss and take a position first after which the government will speak.”

Penpushing recalled that, Nigerian workers under the auspices of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) are agitating for a raise in the minimum wage from current N18,000 to N30, 000,while the President had expressed  willingness  to implement the new wage as demanded, however, posited that, he can only do so in consonance with State Governors.

However, majority of the Governors who employ the large number of public service workers declared that they cannot afford to pay the new wage without recourse to mass retrenchment, and it is also recalled that the President had already set up a Technical Committee under the leadership of Bismark Rewane to proffer modalities on how the government can fund the new wage, if approved.

Penpushing also recalled that the workers under the banner of Nigeria Labour Congress( NLC) had last week held protests across the country over the delay in the implementation of the new wage, while the labour union are also threatening an industrial action over the matter.