What we discussed with Tinubu at Aso Rock – Ajaero, Osifo

By Salif Atojoko

Leaders of organised labour said contrary to the expectations of their members, they did not discuss the issue of the minimum wage with President Bola Tinubu during their meeting with him on Thursday at the presidential villa.

The President met with the Joe Ajero, the President of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC and Festus Osifo, the President of Trade Union Congress, TUC and Minister of State, Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha behind closed doors.

The meeting with the President was part of the consultations with the organised labour in furtherance of his engagements with critical stakeholders toward arriving at a new national minimum wage, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha told journalists.

She spoke while briefing State House correspondents at the end of the meeting on Thursday in Abuja.

Onyejeocha said: “the meeting was a conversation between a father and his children, and not a negotiation on the new national minimum wage.”

The two labour leaders also confirmed that negotiation about the minimum wage was not one of the issues discussed at the meeting.

President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr Joe Ajaero, said there was no discussion in terms of what the new national minimum wage would be, and that the status quo remained.

“We didn’t discuss figures.

“The status quo remains, the Federal Government stands on N62,000 while labour is sticking to N250,000.

“We will be back after one week to continue the discussion,” Ajaero said.

Also speaking to journalists, the President-General of the TUC, Osifo said labour presented the issues bothering Nigerians to the President as part of his consultations toward arriving at a new minimum wage.

Osifo said the meeting was an opportunity for labour to let the President know how the economic difficulties and the value of the Naira have affected the prices of goods in the market.

“We are all aware of what is happening in the country, how the high cost of living has impacted the ordinary Nigerians and workers.

“So, it was necessary to let the President know the exact situation of things in the country,” Osifo said.

However, presidential adviser, Bayo Onanuga said talks between the Federal Government and the central labour unions over the minimum wage will continue next Thursday.

Writing on his X handle, he said the parties departed the meeting at the State House after briefings by the Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun and NNPC GMD, Mele Kyari. Both spoke on the state of the economy.

According to him, President Tinubu who led the government officials to the meeting urged labour to accept the negotiated N62,000 as the first baby step in resolving the minimum wage issue. He suggested that further reviews can be done if the minimum wage law is reviewed.

‘Why must we adjust wages every five years? Why not two, why not three years? What is a problem today, can be eased up tomorrow”, he quoted Tinubu as saying at the meeting.