A balance struck by the Federal Government and the leadership of organized Labour to jerk up the new national minimum wage from N60, 000 offered by government may bring an end to the ongoing strike by Nigerian workers soon.
Hope that the industrial action might be called off at any moment emerged after a meeting convened by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SGF, Mr. George Akume, late on Monday, in Abuja.
No amount was agreed upon as the new minimum wage at the meeting which was also attended by the National Security Adviser, Malam Nuhu Ribadu, but the parties agreed that the Federal Government would increase the figure from the N60, 000 it had offered.
This was one of the resolutions made at the meeting, sequel to a nationwide industrial action embarked upon by the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, and the Trade Union Congress, TUC, following disagreements over a new national minimum wage.
Mr. Akume who read the resolutions after the meeting, announced that to arrive at a mutually agreeable national minimum wage, the Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage would resume negotiations from Tuesday, June 4.
He also assured that no worker would be victimised as a result of the industrial action.
The agreement reads, “The Federal Government, in the National interest, convened a meeting with Labour held in the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, on Monday, June 3, with a view to ending the strike action.
“After exhaustive deliberation and engagement by both parties, the following resolutions were reached:
“The President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria, is committed to a National Minimum Wage that is higher than N60, 000;
“Arising from the above, the Tripartite Committee is to meet every day for the next one week with a view to arriving at an agreeable National Minimum Wage;
“Labour in deference to the high esteem of the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria’s commitment in (ii) above, undertakes to convene a meeting of its organs immediately to consider this commitment; and no worker would be victimized as a result of the industrial action”.
It was signed by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Muhammed Idris and the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, on behalf of the federal government.
For organized labour, the Organised Labour, President of the NLC, Joe Ajaero, and the President of the TUC, Festus Osifo, signed.
The Organised Labour would be meeting with its affiliate members on Tuesday to deliberate on the next line of action.
