*Tripartite Committee Report Awaits President’s Action
FOLLOWING the submission of the tripartite committee set up by the Federal Government to review the minimum wage to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume, for onward transmission to President Bola Tinubu, all eyes are now on the President to break the deadlock by announcing a new minimum wage for Nigerian workers.
The tripartite committee, according to a statement on Monday, June 10, by the Director of Information and Public Relations in the office of the SGF, Mr. Segun Imohiosen, submitted its report to Akume, while a formal presentation would be made to the President soon, and also to representatives of organised Labour and Organised Private Sector (OPS), who were attending the International Labour Organisation (ILO) conference in Geneva, Switzerland.
The SGF, the statement said, commended the Chairman of the committee, Mr. Bukar Goni Aji, for his commitment to the assignment.
Recall that in January, the Federal Government inaugurated the 37-member committee, charged with the responsibility of recommending a new national minimum wage for workers.
Amid public apprehension over a possible resumption of the relaxed strike, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President, Mr. Joe Ajaero, has ruled out any industrial action until the President makes his stance known on Labour’s N250,000 demand and the government’s N62,000 proposal as the new minimum wage.
Ajaero said the organised Labour would await the decision of the President on the proposals submitted to him by the tripartite committee, assuring that the organs of the NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) would decide the next line of action after the President’s nod on any of the two proposals.
Speaking from Geneva, Ajaero said: “Two reports have been sent to the President and then the NLC will wait for the next line of action based on how the President handles this matter.
“The NLC will not have its position forwarded to the President and go ahead to take certain actions. But when the President finally takes a decision on this, the National Executive Council (NEC) will have a lot to discuss. Whatever direction they give, then we will carry on with it.”
