Bursted: Labour rejected N250k minimum wage from Tinubu, see reason

• President Bola Tinubu's proposal to pay ₦250,000 minimum wage to Nigeria workers was reportedly rejected by the labour leaders
• Joe Ajaero, the president of the NLC, disclosed that the labour rejected the proposal because it was conditioned that the petrol price would be increased
• Ajaero disclosed that the proposal was made during the union's meeting with President Tinubu and the union rejected it in the interest of Nigerians

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) rejected President Bola Tinubu's proposal to pay a minimum wage of ₦250,000, conditional on increasing petrol prices.

According to NLC President Joe Ajaero, the proposal was made during a meeting with the President in Abuja. Ajaero stated that the labour movement refused the offer, choosing to prioritize the welfare of Nigerians.

Labour explains why Tinubu's N250k minimum wage proposal was rejected Photo Credit: @officialABAT, @NLCHeadquarters
Source: Twitter

Why we accepted ₦70,000 minimum wage

Ajaero explained that accepting the ₦70,000 minimum wage was a compromise to avoid further hardship for Nigerians. He emphasized that the labour movement is willing to make sacrifices, but not at the expense of the general population.

The price of petrol has skyrocketed from ₦184 in May 2023 to around ₦700 currently, depending on the location. This significant increase came after President Tinubu declared an end to subsidies.

How Tinubu removed fuel subsidy

On May 29, during his inauguration, President Tinubu announced an end to the era of fuel subsidies, a development that led to immediate fuel scarcity in the country and a subsequent hike in the price of the commodity.

Despite this hike, the Organised Labour agreed to a ₦70,000 minimum wage for Nigerian workers. According to Ajaero, this decision was made in consideration of the new wage review cycle, which will now occur every three years instead of five.

President Tinubu is expected to send an executive bill to the National Assembly to formalize the agreed-upon minimum wage, which will then be legislated into law. This development aims to provide a more regular and sustainable approach to wage reviews in the country.

Source: Legit.ng