Presidency Appeals for Patience on Minimum Wage Issue with Tinubu

On Monday, the Presidency urged Nigerians to refrain from adding undue pressure on President Bola Tinubu. It assured that once prepared, he would promptly forward the new minimum wage bill to the National Assembly.

In a conversation with The PUNCH, Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, emphasized the need for dialogue regarding the wage bill.

This plea follows closely after Organised Labour’s request for the President to consult and reach an agreement with its leadership before submitting the bill to the National Assembly.

The delay in transmitting the wage bill by Tinubu has stalled the eagerly awaited meeting of the National Executive Committee, which is set to involve approximately 300 Labour leaders.

The NLC and TUC last convened a joint extraordinary National Executive Council meeting on June 4. The emergency session aimed to decide whether to proceed with the strike or suspend it in light of their recent agreement with the government.

The President’s Democracy Day broadcast claimed a consensus had been reached between the Federal Government and Labour on the new wage. However, both the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress swiftly debunked this assertion.

A month after his speech, Tinubu departed from the Labour camp, leaving Nigerians anxious about the FG’s next moves.

In response, Onanuga questioned the urgency behind pushing the bill through for transmission.

The presidential aide admitted he was unaware of the submission deadline and requested an extension.

“People should be patient,” he stated.

He renewed his appeal a week later, emphasizing that the workers’ union’s demand for a N250,000 wage is unsustainable. He cautioned that the Federal Government cannot allocate all its resources to meet this demand.