ABUJA- President Bola Tinubu is set to unveil a new minimum wage for Nigerian workers in the coming week, according to revelations made by Comrade Festus Osifo, the President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC).
The announcement comes after a crucial meeting held between the TUC and the federal government to discuss the removal of fuel subsidies.
The federal government, represented by Minister of Labour Simon Lalong, confirmed discussions with President Tinubu and Minister of Finance Wale Edun regarding the wage issue.
Comrade Osifo shared these insights during an appearance on ChannelsTV’s “Politics Today” program on Tuesday evening, September 19, 2023.
“The minister of labour told us that he had an audience with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the minister of finance and had reviewed the issue of wage award. But the president asked them to fine-tune the issues before he makes the announcement,” explained the TUC president.
Osifo further emphasised that the TUC had given the federal government a two-week ultimatum to address their demands or face the prospect of nationwide industrial action.
Despite Minister Lalong’s request for additional time due to the president’s travel commitments, the TUC remained steadfast in their resolve for a swift resolution.
“The minister told us all these issues would be streamlined, but because the president has traveled, we should give him an extra two weeks. We said no; we don’t have an extra two weeks to give. After more discussions, he said the president would make a proper announcement next week,” disclosed Osifo.
Besides the minimum wage, the TUC has engaged with the federal government concerning the distribution of palliatives to states.
Comrade Osifo stressed their commitment to monitoring the fair and effective allocation of these relief measures, noting their desire to scrutinize the implementation template. Additionally, issues related to taxation and Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) were raised during the discussions.
