Tinubu government’s threat to further increase petrol price forced us to accept N70,000 minimum wage – NLC

The National Executive Council (NEC) of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has provided further insight into how it negotiated an agreement with the Federal Government on the new national minimum wage, saying leaders of Organised Labour accepted the offer of N70,000 to avert a further threatened increase in the price of petrol by the administration of President Bola Tinubu.

The NLC said the Labour leaders had to finally come to an agreement on the initial demand for a higher minimum wage as they cannot bear to endure further hardship for Nigerians with a further increase in the price of petrol by the Federal Government as a precondition for a minimum wage above N70,000 for workers.

This was disclosed by the NLC after its emergency National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held in Abuja on Friday following the outcome of the meeting with the Federal Government held earlier on Thursday, July 18, 2024 at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, and chaired by President Bola Tinubu.

According to the communiqué issued after the emergency meeting of the NEC signed by the NLC Chairman, Comrade Joe Ajaero, the NEC in session, after extensive deliberations, unanimously commended and applauded the tenacity of the Congressional leaders for the courage and candour with which they handled the national minimum wage fixation exercise.

NLC NEC also accepted the President’s offer of N70,000 as the new national minimum wage and the three-year period for its review, while demanding full and strict compliance by all to the dictates of the National Minimum Wage Act when it is eventually made an Act of the National Assembly.

“The NEC in session concluded that this decision, though defiant and far from our initial demand, was taken in a spirit of solidarity and sacrifice for the Nigerian masses to avert a fresh threat of petrol price hike that would inflict further hardship on the already suffering masses.

“Once again, the NEC in session reaffirms the commitment of the NLC to remain steadfast in its mission to defend and promote the rights of the Nigerian workers and people at all times. It therefore calls upon all Nigerians to unite in this cause and hold our leaders accountable to the same standards of sacrifice and service,” the statement said.