Festus Osifo, the president of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), stated on Tuesday that organized labor still maintains that the N250,000 benchmark is the best minimum wage for workers in Nigeria.
Osifo added that the Nigeria Labour Congress and the TUC were meeting with federal government representatives in order to agree on a minimum wage.
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With the subject, ‘The Dynamic Woman: Navigating Challenges in a Constantly Evolving World’
he made this revelation during the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Women Commission’s inaugural Annual Convention in Abuja.
President Bola Tinubu decided to confer with interested parties before submitting the bill to the National Assembly, which put a stop to talks on a new national minimum wage.
As per the agreement, the Federal Government and the Organized Private Sector labor is demanding N250, 000 as the new minimum wage, despite the agreement on N62,000.
Osifo, who was speaking at the occasion, stated that labor and the government were still adjusting the situation, not that the negotiations on a new minimum wage had been abandoned.
‘The talks over the minimum wage cannot end. It took nearly two years for the 2019 minimum wage—which has now expired—to become a reality. The talks were initiated in 2017.
The head of the TUC said, ‘We promised you when we started in January (this year) that we will ensure this one is fast-tracked so we not to be in the dilemma that emerged in 2019, taking two years to resolve.
He asserted that consideration was being given to the minimum wage and stated that the President desired more discussions. prior to sending it over to the National Assembly.
‘So, this is where we are now. In June, we filed the divergent position, and as you are aware, at that time, the President publicly stated that he wished to consult with all relevant parties,
including labor unions, governors, chairmen of local governments, and organized business. As a result, we are currently conducting some outreach and dialogue.
‘In order for the minimum wage that will be presented to the National Assembly to truly serve the lowest of the poor, we are working within and not yelling in the media.
This will allow the law to be filed in full in the near future. We continue to demand the N250,000 benchmark as maximum wage that is ideal,’ Osifo said.
