Finally, FG, Labour agree to begin talks on new minimum wage

All is set for fruitful negotiations bordering on new minimum wage between the federal government and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC). The deal was reached Wednesday in Abuja.

Though it was clear whether the development is an offshoot of last week’s mass protest where the organized labour told the government of their plights as caused by recession and the need for new pay rise for workers’.

According to the President of NLC, Mr Ayuba Wabba, the consensus was reached during the sitting of the Technical Committee on Palliative, adding that the committee was meant to look into the framework to ameliorate the sufferings of Nigerians and cushion the effect of the increase in the price of fuel.

He also noted that the report of the committee, which was also meant to discuss the issue of the minimum wage, was ready for submission.

He said “I think there is a consensus on the fact that nobody has said that the minimum wage should not be reviewed.

“The palliative report is ready and it would be submitted before the end of the month.

“At the last palliative meeting, labour leaders had requested that they needed to look at the main report of the committee before submission.

“So, the technical committee will have to submit its report to Mr President and not to the Minister of Labour and Employment”, he said.

Wabba said that after the submission, the Presidency would then set up the tripartite committee that would involve the government, private and public sector.