The Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Mrs. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, has urged organized labour to be considerate and patriotic in their demands for a new national minimum wage.
This appeal comes as the Tripartite Committee on Minimum Wage negotiation continues.
On Tuesday, the Federal Government offered N60,000 as the new minimum wage, while organized labour proposed N494,000.
The Mininister acknowledged the government’s efforts to secure a fair and realistic wage for workers but emphasized the need for labour to consider the nation’s economic recovery from the pandemic and other challenges, according to Daily Post.
She appealed to labour to recognize the country’s economic situation and work together to find a mutually acceptable solution.
The negotiations are ongoing, and the parties aim to reach a consensus on a new national minimum wage.
“We appeal to organized labour and other relevant stakeholders to be considerate and patriotic in their demands, recognizing that our economy is still recovering from the devastating effects of the pandemic and other global economic shocks.
“We are committed to putting the people first and ensuring that our economic policies benefit all Nigerians, not just a select few.
“The government remains dedicated to prioritizing the well-being of our citizens, and it wants to urge all relevant parties to demonstrate patriotism and understanding.
“This is particularly during this critical period when the President, Bola Tinubu, is working diligently to revitalize the economy,” she said.
The minister, therefore, said the government recognized that Nigerians’ economic challenges were complex and multifaceted and called for the collective effort of all stakeholders to overcome them.”
