JUST IN: Tinubu Speaks on Payment of NLC’s N497,000 New Minimum Wage Demand

• The federal government led by Bola Tinubu has cleared the air on the payment of the new minimum wage
• The presidency maintained that labour is unrealistic with its recent demand of N497,000 as wages for Nigerian workers under Tinubu
• Legit.ng reports that the presidency made this statement after Joe Ajaero's led NLC and its TUC counterpart reduced their demand of N615,000 minimum wage to N500,000 and then N497,000

Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's led federal government has said that the N497,000 demand by organised labour as the new minimum wage is unrealistic.

The presidency advised the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), headed by Joe Ajaero, and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) to be serious in their demands.

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As reported by Vanguard on Monday, May 27, the presidency also said that what should be paramount to arriving at the new minimum wage by the Tripartite Committee should be the availability of resources to pay whatever is agreed upon.

Presidency explains why Tinubu cannot pay N497,000

Speaking on the development, the special adviser to the president on information and strategy, Bayo Onanuga, noted that the governments both at the federal and states have a bloated workforce.

Recall that the organised labour (NLC and the TUC) had made a demand of N615,000 minimum wage but later reduced the demand to N500,000 and then N497,000, while the government and the private sector in the last Tripartite meeting increased their offer to N57,000.

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Speaking on the payment of N497,000, Onanuga said:

“Well, it’s very simple. I think the demand is outrageous. If you ask Mr. Ajaero or our brother who is the President of the TUC, Osifo how much do they pay their drivers or their lowest paid workers, how much do they pay their cleaners, can they pay them N500,000, can they pay them N615,000. It’s unrealistic.

“We have bloated civil service at all levels. Government is keeping them as a social service, because it doesn’t have other jobs for them.

“The last time someone gave the census of the federal civil servants, they are said to be about 50,000. I am not talking about the police, army or those employed by some agencies. I am talking about the hardcore civil servants.

“If you visit the Federal Secretariat, you will see them milling round.You do not expect much productivity from them. Yet these are people Ajaero wants the federal government to pay N615,000."

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NLC issues ultimatum to Tinubu’s govt, demands N494,000 as minimum wage

Governors speak on new minimum wage

Legit.ng earlier reported that the Nigeria governors' forum said they were examining their individual capacities to arrive at a sustainable new minimum wage.

The chairman of the forum and governor of Kwara state, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, made the disclosure in a statement on Thursday, May 2.

This came after the NLC explained why organised labour is demanding N615,000 for a new minimum wage.

Proofreading by Nkem Ikeke, journalist and copy editor at Legit.ng.

Source: Legit.ng