Minimum Wage: Anxiety as Labour Gives Tinubu Fresh Ultimatum

• The NLC and TUC have called on President Bola Tinubu to ensure that all negotiations on the new minimum wage end by May 31
• Both NLC and TUC leaders threatened to shut down the country should the new minimum wage was not announced on May 31
• The union leaders also demanded that the new minimum wage must not be less than N615,000 for Nigerian workers

Legit.ng journalist Bada Yusuf is an accomplished politics and current affairs editor, boasting over seven years of experience in journalism and writing.

Organised labour has issued May 31 as a fresh ultimatum to President Bola Tinubu's administration to complete its ongoing negotiation on the new minimum wage or face new industrial action.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) jointly gave the federal government an ultimatum at the Workers Day celebration in Abuja on Wednesday, May 1.

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NLC, TUC demand N615,000 minimum wage

The union leaders also insisted on N615,000 as the new minimum wage. The workers then made an 18-point demand from the government. They threatened to shut down the country if the government did not meet their request by May 31, Vanguard reported.

Joe Ajaero and Festus Osifo, presidents of the NLC and TUC, lamented the demeaning living conditions of the Nigerian masses, particularly for workers since 2023.

The leaders explained that the last N30,000 minimum wage expired on April 18 and that the new minimum wage regime should commence on May 1. They said the new minimum wage discussion should have ended by now.

How new minimum wage discussion entered voicemail

They said the new minimum wage discussion entered voice mail after it was legislated at the national assembly. According to the labour leader, this was because the federal government refused to convey the earlier adjourned meeting.

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Ajaero and Osifo's comments followed President Tinubu's vow that his government was working on the new minimum and living wage to improve the workers' welfare in Nigeria.

Their comments read in part:

“We think the announcement now appears mischievous because there is no agreed minimum wage that the government is announcing. For them to announce it now is an issue we are worried about at the NLC and the TUC.”

FG announces when new minimum wage will commence

Legit.ng earlier reported that the federal government has disclosed that workers' new minimum wage will take effect on Wednesday, May 1.

Tinubu's minister of state for labour, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, announced the development while addressing the workers on Wednesday.

Onyejeocha expressed regret that the new minimum wage was not announced on the May Day celebration but assured that wide consultation was ongoing.

Source: Legit.ng