NLC/TUC Strike: Senate President Akpabio Implores FG to Continue Paying N35k Minimum Wage

• The Nigerian National Assembly has urged the federal government not to discontinue paying N35k minimum wage amid strike fears
• The senate president, Senator Godswill Akpabio, made the plea after a closed-door meeting with representatives from NLC and TUC
• The lawmaker appealed to organised labour to consider shelving the idea of embarking on an industrial action to force the government to table

The senate president, Godswill Akpabio, has urged the Tinubu-led administration not to halt payment of N35k minimum wage while the discussion for an increase is ongoing.

During a closed-door meeting, the lawmaker also appealed to the organised labour representatives to rescind their planned industrial action, which he said would affect the country badly.

The Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress, both addressed as organised labour, took the decision to embark on an indefinite strike following the government's failure to reach an agreement with them before their stipulated deadline.

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The minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, shared that the government's stance is to continue paying the N35k minimum wage until a common ground is reached in the ongoing negotiations, the Vanguard reported.

The minister added that it is in the best interest of everyone in the country that organised labour stop the planned industrial action, as continuing with it would exacerbate the fragile economic condition the citizens are enduring.

The TUC president, Festus Osifo, replied, saying he had heard the government's argument and adding that he would relay their pleas to the bodies he represents as he could not alone call off the strike.

The attendees of the meeting included the secretary to government of the federation, George Akume.

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Other top officials at the meeting were the minister of Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha; minister of Finance, Wale Edun; minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris; minister of Budget and National Planning, Atiku Bagudu; minister of Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji.

Minimum wage: Committee's meeting postponed indefinitely

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the tripartite committee's meeting on the new minimum wage was postponed indefinitely after its last meeting.

At the meeting held in Abuja, the federal government raised its proposal for the minimum wage from N57,000 to N60,000.

Proofread by Kola Muhammed, a journalist and copyeditor at Legit.ng

Source: Legit.ng