Minimum wage:Tinubu opts to consult governors, labour, others

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) Tuesday stepped down the memo on national minimum wage to enable President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to consult widely with governors, private sector employers and the organised labour.

Addressing State House correspondents at the end of the FEC meeting chaired by the president, Minister of Information and National Orientation Mr Mohammed Idris said an executive bill on the minimum wage would be sent to the National Assembly after the wider consultations by the president.

He said the wider consultations by the president was necessary because the new national minimum wage wasn’t just an issue for the federal government but also affects state governments, local governments and the private sector.

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“I want to inform Nigerians here that the Federal Executive Council deliberated on that (report of the Tripartite Committee on New National Minimum Wage) and the decision is that because the new national minimum wage is not just that of the federal government, it is an issue that involves the federal government, the state governments, local governments, and the organized private sector and of course, including the organised labour.

“That memo was stepped down to enable Mr. President to consult further, especially with the state governors and the organised private sector, before he makes a presentation to the National Assembly, before an executive bill is presented to the National Assembly.

“So I want to state that on the new national minimum wage, Mr. President is going to consult further so that he can have an informed position because the new national minimum wage, like I said, is not just an issue of the federal government.

“It affects the state governments, it affects the local governments, it also affects the organised private sector, and that is why it is called national minimum wage. It’s not just an affair of the federal government.

“So, Mr. President has studied the report and he’s going to consult wider before a final submission is being made to the National Assembly,” he said.