Labor Denies President Tinubu’s Claim of New Minimum Wage Agreement

In a national broadcast commemorating Democracy Day, President Bola Tinubu claimed that a new national minimum wage had been agreed upon. However, Organized Labour has refuted this assertion, stating that no such agreement has been reached.

Following the conclusion of negotiations by the Tripartite Committee on the National Minimum Wage on Friday, June 7, Organized Labour indicated that no consensus had been attained. They noted that the figures of N62,000 proposed by the government and Organized Private Sector (OPS) and N250,000 proposed by Organized Labour were to be presented to the President, but no final agreement was established.

Prince Adewale Adeyanju, acting president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), emphasized in a statement that any claims to the contrary are fabricated and unacceptable to Labour. He acknowledged the President’s mention of a five-year duration for the minimum wage act but insisted that the committee never agreed on this timeframe.

“The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) paid close attention to His Excellency, Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Democracy Day presidential address, particularly as it related to the ongoing negotiations for the national minimum wage. It is clear that the President is unaware of the outcome of the wage negotiation process, even though he may have accurately narrated portions of the history of our democratic journey,” Adeyanju stated.

President Tinubu had assured in his address, “I will always listen to the people and I will never turn my back on you as we continue to reform the economy.” He noted that an executive bill codifying the agreements would be submitted to the National Assembly for a duration of five years or less.

In contrast, Adeyanju pointed out that the Tripartite Committee had presented two figures to the President without a reconciled agreement favoring the working class and masses. He expressed hope that the President’s advisors would have informed him correctly about the lack of a concrete agreement on the base amount or other components of a National Minimum Wage.

“We have not received any convincing arguments to modify our demand, which is still N250,000, a significant concession made by Nigerian workers during the three-way negotiation process,” Adeyanju added.

The NLC’s statement highlighted their surprise at President Tinubu’s claim of a purported agreement, suggesting he might have been misled. They emphasized the necessity to clarify the situation to prevent confusion in the ongoing minimum wage discussion and reiterated their stance against accepting any manipulated documents.

Adeyanju further criticized the President’s advisors for potentially misleading him about the realities of intimidation and harassment faced by trade union leaders. He emphasized that while negotiating with the government, union leaders faced threats and media propaganda aimed at undermining their position.

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The NLC urged President Tinubu to reject advice from individuals seeking to harm Nigeria’s impoverished laborers and to fulfill his pledge to lift them out of poverty. They stressed the importance of setting a minimum wage that reflects justice, equity, and fairness for all Nigerians.

“The President’s pledge to give Nigerian workers a living wage should be guided by the goal of ensuring justice, equity, and fairness for all. This is his chance to live up to his promise that he pays attention to Nigerians!” Adeyanju concluded.

The NLC calls for a more equitable democracy that ensures prosperity for the majority rather than a few elites, emphasizing that this is the true essence of democracy that Nigerians long for.