Eniola Yekini
The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Joe Ajaero, has called on the Federal Government to review the N70,000 minimum wage, saying many states are now paying above the national benchmark.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Friday, Ajaero said labour accepted N70,000 during negotiations because President Bola Tinubu appealed to them to consider the capacity of state governments.
The N70,000 minimum wage became law on July 29, 2024, after President Tinubu signed the National Minimum Wage Act.
“Part of the reason we agreed on 70,000, the president said, and I quote, you know, I can afford to pay 150,000, you know, but the sub-nationals, you have to put them into consideration,” Ajaero said.
He disclosed that negotiations had earlier deadlocked at N60,000 before direct talks with the President produced the N70,000 figure, adding: “That was a negotiation between us and the president directly, not the minimum wage committee.”
The NLC president said developments after the agreement have contradicted the affordability argument, as several states now pay more than the Federal Government.
He cited Imo State as paying N104,000 while others pay N100,000, N85,000, N84,000 and N75,000, stressing that no state pays below N72,000.
“I think the least could be 72 or more. All the states are paying more than the federal government. So I think it’s incumbent on the federal government to go back to the drawing board and find out what is happening,” he said.
On the Federal Government’s recently announced 30-day fuel discount, Ajaero said it has not altered labour’s two-week ultimatum for fresh minimum wage talks and other palliatives.
“It’s better we take it from the point of the ultimatum we gave two days ago. And this piece of information has not altered anything,” he said, describing the discount as a “panicky measure.”
He questioned how a discount at NNPC outlets would affect prices by other marketers, noting that petrol sold for between N650 and N750 per litre when the N70,000 wage was agreed.
“Other marketers are not like the NNPC. So they should tell us what other marketers will sell,” he said.
Ajaero clarified that labour is demanding renewed minimum wage negotiations, an interim wage award pending conclusion of talks, appropriate pricing for petrol and implementation of tax relief agreed with government in 2023.
“Exactly. It’s around minimum wage, not a wage award. Around minimum wage, a wage award as an interventionary measure between now and when the minimum wage will be concluded. And then getting the appropriate pricing for a PMS,” he said.
He accused the Federal Government of shunning dialogue, saying: “The federal government does not dialogue. In the last two, three years, you know, no conversation. Letters are not even attended to.”