By Chesa Chesa
President Bola Tinubu will this Thursday meet labour union leaders to continue his consultations with stakeholders towards arriving at an acceptable new minimum wage for Nigerian workers.
This was disclosed by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, while briefing newsmen after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting chaired by President Bola Tinubu at the Presidential Villa on Wednesday.
Idris also said that the President had directed the CNG committee to expedite action on the delivery of Compresses Natural Gas (CNG) compliant buses to ease transportation of goods and passengers following the removal of fuel subsidy.
President Tinubu, he said, equally directed the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Atiku Bagudu to work on possible supplementary budget to be submitted to the National Assembly to accommodate expected additional expenditures.
“Last week, the National Labour Congress (NLC) met the President. This of course was part of the consultation that the President has agreed.
“Recall that he had met the organized sector, he had also met sub-nationals after the tripartite committee on Labour had submitted its report.
“It is in order to ensure that there is a thorough analysis of the situation so that government would come up with a minimum wage that works for all Nigerians, the Federal Government, the sub-nationals and the organized private sector.
“Government has also directed the Ministry of Budget to also come up with additional support for the 2024 budget, so that any differential or any gaps that will exist in terms of what existed before 2024 budget was approved, a supplementary budget and also what the requirement is for now.
“So, government is working around the clock to ensure that it comes up with a minimum wage that works for all Nigerians.
“The president is also open to meeting the Nigerian Labour, Trade Union Congress, and all the affiliates. We expect that meeting to hold this coming Thursday. That is what the labour unions requested during their meeting with Mr. President last week.
“The President is in agreement, he knows that the Labour wants to quickly find the lasting solution to the issue of minimum and government is also assured to put the issue of minimum wage behind it.
“So it is expected that the NLC, TUC and all the affiliates as requested by them last week, will meet the president on Thursday.
“And after which the President will now transmit whatever the final agreement or what his views are on the tripartite committee report to the National Assembly for legislation”, Idris explained.
