The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has disclosed that it rejected a ₦250,000 minimum wage offer from the federal government due to President Bola Tinubu’s condition to increase fuel pump price
NLC President Joe Ajaero made this disclosure on Thursday during an interview on Channels Television.
This revelation followed organised labour’s meeting with the president in Abuja, where a ₦70,000 minimum wage was finally agreed upon.
Mr. Ajaero explained, “Accepting ₦70,000 was the best way to save Nigerians from further hardship” as settling for the ₦250,000 offer would exacerbate the already severe economic hardship.
“At last week’s meeting, the President brought a proposal that ‘I will give you guys ₦250,000 if you allow me to equally increase the pump price of petroleum products,’ and we said, ‘No, we need to go and consult.’
“Today, we went there to tell him, ‘No.’ The labour movement can make sacrifices without allowing Nigerians to suffer further from the increase in the pump price of petroleum products,” Mr. Ajaero noted.
Mr. Ajaero further revealed that part of the agreement for accepting the ₦70,000 offer included a provision for wage reviews for Nigerian workers every three years, instead of every five years.
The president is expected to send an executive bill containing the new minimum wage agreement with organised labour to the National Assembly for it to be passed into law.
