New Minimum Wage: Why We Accepted Tinubu’s N70k Offer- Labour

Following the agreement between Organised Labour and the Federal Government over a new minimum wage for Nigerian workers, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President, Joe Ajaero, on Thursday, explained why the organised labour accepted President Bola Tinubu’s offer.

Ajaero, who spoke to State House correspondents after the meeting with Tinubu, said the unions agreed to the offer because of other incentives attached.

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He said another reason the labour accepted the offer was because the president promised a review every three years as against what obtained in the past.

The new minimum wage when approved by the National Assembly will replace the N30,000 minimum wage which expired on April 18.

It would be recalled that Tinubu, after a meeting with the leadership of the NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, approved N70,000 as the new minimum wage.

READ ALSO: UPDATED: Tinubu Approves N70,000 As New Minimum Wage, Promises Periodic Review

The President’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, issued a statement via his X handle after the approval.

The statement read: “President Tinubu also promised to find ways to assist the private sector and the sub-nationals to pay the minimum wage.

“President Tinubu announced the decisions at the meeting held with leaders of TUC and NLC on Thursday in Abuja, the second time the parties met in 7 days.

“The Labour leaders applauded President Tinubu for the fatherly gesture as the President also promised to use his discretionary powers to meet the demands of university unions demanding unpaid 4 months salaries.”

The national minimum wage issue has been a contentious one between labour leaders and the federal government in the past few months.