Why we accepted N70,000 as minimum wage – Organised Labour

Organised Labour, led by Comrade Joe Ajaero and Comrade Festus Osifo, has given reasons NLC accepted N70,000 as new minimum wage.

Speaking moments after President Bola Tinubu agreed to pay N70000 as new minimum wage, Joe Ajaero said the organized labour accepted the offer with mixed feelings as a result of the prevailing economic circumstances.

Ajaero said: “Well, we’re here last week and we’re here now. What have been announced in terms of the amount of N70,000 happened to be where we are now. But the good thing about it is that we will not wait for another five years to come on review.

“Rather, than settling on a figure that we wait for five years, is like we’ll have to now negotiate even two times within five years, with a view to going up. That is one of the reasons you know why we decided to reach where we are today because of the proviso that ‘you can review in the next three years.

“The other one, we came with other issues in the basket, like the issue of SSANU, NASU and others, especially with the affront by the Commissioner of Police FCT, we brought it to Mr. President and talked on the need for that matter to be addressed.

“And magnanimously he asked the agencies concerned to work out the modalities for the payment of those workers in the universities.”

The NLC President said that the President promise some incentives like the CNG which will lessen the burden that the Nigerian workers are passing through, but you can see that we are taking this with mix filling because of the situation of the of the economy.

“But we have to move ahead despite the situation, and the negotiation can’t linger coming from N62,000 to N70,000 and then with the proviso that we are coming back soon to negotiate it.

“We’re taking it back to our constituency to see how they can get a buy in. So that’s what has transpired this afternoon except there’s another question.”

TUC President, Comrade Festus Osifo Speaks

Also speaking, the TUC President, Comrade Festus Osifo said, ” So yes, just as been said by the three previous speakers, the Minister of Information Minister of state labour as well as the NLC President, they’ve laid the accounts of what transpired in today’s meeting.

The President made a pronouncement or announcement of N70,000. That by next week, they should put finishing touches to the bill and do the transmission to the National Assembly

“But why this became a catch is actually because we from the organized labour, we have been pushing that the issue of five years review is to me so much, that a lot a lot of economic indices may have changed, because we are in an era where things are moving very fast in terms of both macro, and micro economic policies.

“But with also the caveat that this is going to be done every three years. The next review will be in three years. And after that, pronouncement, we from labour just as has been said, we have received what the President has promised from both ends. 

“And as he said, said, we made a case for both the SSANU and NASU, that the President should, as a father of the nation, look at it compassionately, and do the needful, so that we will not have a case where the universities would be closed again.

“That is actually a problem because it is your children, my brothers that attend these universities. I’m not sure that the kids of the bourgeoisie like those standing behind us, whether they attend these universities, we don’t know.

“So, at the end, he said he was going to look at it and that they should report back to him as has been reported. So we are quite excited with that because for us, anything that will keep the university shutdown, we will not allow it to happen. we will do everything possible to ensure that the issues are resolved amicably. So, we are waiting for the final outcome of that.

“Then also the issue of student loan as well, we commended the president for that. but we said that the money should get to the people that are targeted. that the student loan should get to the people that are targeted, not a situation where the children of the rich are also able to access the student loan.

“That the parameter be put in place so that the children of the poor, those that cannot actually afford school fees should be the target and they also said they will look at it as well.”

It will be recalled that when the Tripartite Committee met, the government team and the private sector started with the offer of N48, 000 then to N54, 000, N57, 000, N60, 000 and finally N62, 000.

On the other side, the Organized Labour started with N615,000 demand, then N500,000, to N497,000 and finally N250,000.