The Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha has told the organized labour to be considerate and patriotic in their demands in the ongoing negotiation for a new national minimum wage.
In a statement signed by the ministry’s Director of Press and Public Relations, Olajide Oshundun, Onyejeocha said that the Federal Government had consistently taken steps to secure a fair and realistic wage for Nigerian workers.
She, therefore, urged labour to recognise that the nation’s economy is still on the path of recovery from the effect of the pandemic and other economic distress.
She noted that the increase in proposed minimum wage to N60,000 was a demonstration of government’s willingness to listen to the concerns of labour and work towards a mutually beneficial agreement.
She said, “We understand that the current economic landscape is challenging, and we are doing everything in our power to mitigate its effects on our citizens.”
The Federal Government on Tuesday added a sum of N3,000 to its initially proposed N57,000 minimum wage, making it N60,000.
However, the organised labour insisted on N494,000, removing N3,000 from its earlier N497,000 demand.
