Tobias Sylvester
The Nigerian Labour Unions (NLC) have called off the planned nationwide industrial action initially scheduled to commence today to press home workers’ demand for a new national minimum wage.
The National Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Ayuba Wabba, announced the suspension last night in Abuja at the end of the last meeting of the tripartite committee set up to come up with the new minimum wage.
Wabba said the decision to suspend the action was reached after agreements were reached and documents signed. He said:
“Having reached this position and agreements signed, the proposed strike action is hereby suspended.”
” Therefore, we thought this should be communicated appropriately without also divulging this information as mutual agreement has been reached.”
Wabba however, refused to disclose the figure of the new minimum wage arrived at by the committee.
He said the figure would only be made public after the committee’s report would have been presented to President Muhammadu Buhari by 4.15pm on Tuesday.
According to him, only one figure would be presented to the President.
The Chairman of the committee, Amma Pepple, expressed delight that their assignment had been concluded.
“I am happy to report to you that we have concluded our assignment and we will submit our report to the President by 4.15pm on Tuesday.
We will reveal the figure at the presentation.”
Mr Boss Mustapha, Secretary of the Government of the Federation commended members of the committee for their time and commitment on the processes of recommending the new minimum wage.
“I am confident that government will give expeditious consideration of the report when submitted tomorrow to Mr President. And very soon the processes will be put in place to truly actualise your recommendations so that the status of our working populace will be enhanced and they would receive appropriate and commensurate payments for the services they offer to our nation and to the different sectors of our economy, ”
