The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) declared an indefinite strike starting Monday over the hike in electricity tariffs and the inability of a tripartite committee to reach a consensus on a new minimum wage. However, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, urged labour to reconsider its move and the financial implications of its N494,000 new minimum wage demand on the government.
“On the 31st of May 2024, during what was supposed to be the seventh meeting of the tripartite agreement, labour walked out,” Idris said in Abuja. “This was the third time that labour had walked out of a tripartite committee meeting. On two previous occasions, labour was persuaded to return to the negotiating table. We hope labour will see reason to return to negotiations in the interest of Nigeria.”
He added, “The N494,000 national minimum wage which labour is seeking would cumulatively amount to a N9.5 trillion bill for the Federal Government of Nigeria.”
At the same time, Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed urged labour to halt the planned industrial action. After visiting Governor Alex Otti of Abia in his hometown of Isiala-Ngwa, alongside his Edo State counterpart Godwin Obaseki and some members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national working committee, Mohammed expressed concern. “Some state governors will not be able to pay. Even at the current minimum wage of N30,000, some states are struggling. Labour leaders are indeed leaders and should consider this. The strike may cripple the economy and further cause pain to workers and all of us. We are pleading for a middle ground where we can assess affordability,” he said.
Before declaring the strike, organised labour had rejected three offers from the Federal Government. During the sixth meeting of the tripartite committee, the government offered to pay N60,000 as a minimum wage, but labour rejected it, insisting on N494,000.