Imo State Governor and Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum, Hope Uzodimma, announced that the Tripartite Committee on the National Minimum Wage is close to agreeing on a new minimum wage for workers.
Speaking to journalists on Friday night during a break from the ongoing committee meeting in Abuja, which lasted over 12 hours, Uzodimma shared updates on their progress.
“We had very fruitful deliberations,” Uzodimma stated. “Of course, you know it’s a technical subcommittee of a committee, and at the level of our committee, we have reached near consensus. It is our hope that by the time we get to the plenary, we will have a complete agreement. Maybe from there, the media can start their job. As it is now, I think we are better off than we were before the technical committee [meeting].”
When asked if the meeting had concluded, Uzodimma replied, “The technical committee is over, and of course, you know it’s a tripartite committee. We struggled to reach an agreement, at least between the government and the organised private sector. We are still engaging the Organised Labour, and I’m almost confident that in a few minutes from now, after the plenary, we would have reached a complete agreement.”
The prolonged negotiations between the Organised Labour and the Federal Government have caused tension nationwide.
Workers had embarked on an indefinite strike earlier in the week, which lasted more than 24 hours, to demand a higher minimum wage and the reversal of a recent electricity tariff hike.
Both the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress declared the strike on Monday. The strike disrupted various sectors, including aviation and electricity. However, it was called off on Tuesday as negotiations resumed.
The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, submitted the minimum wage cost to President Bola Tinubu on Thursday.
Despite this, some state governors have expressed concerns about their ability to pay a proposed minimum wage of ₦60,000, an offer which the Organised Labour has also rejected.
As the tripartite committee nears a final decision, the nation remains hopeful for a resolution that satisfies all parties involved.
