President Tinubu Pledges to consider national living wage over minimum wage

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has assured the Organised Labour that their understanding, patience, commitment and support in the course of implementing his administration’s policies and programmes are not taken for granted.

He applauded the Nigerian workers for their contributions to ongoing efforts by the government to save the nation’s economy, describing them as “an indispensable component of the nation’s engine,” in the bid to build a just and progressive society.

The President who gave the assurance on Wednesday during a colourful ceremony to mark the 2024 May Day celebration at the Eagle Square, Abuja, said it is a fundamental truth that the workers are Nigeria’s backbone, even as he acknowledged and appreciated their hard work, sacrifices, and contributions to the nation’s stability and prosperity.

Speaking through Vice President Kashim Shettima who represented him at the event, President Tinubu commended the choice of the theme for this year’s May Day celebration, “People First,” saying it did not only resonate with his administration’s agenda, but also demonstrates that “the working class holds a central position in the affairs of this nation.”

Delivering the President’s address titled, “Solidarity in Action: Collaborative Governance, Empowered Workers”, VP Shettima stated: “Great Nigerian workers, your role as an indispensable component of the nation’s engine cannot be overstated by any government if the quest for a just and progressive society is to be realised. Therefore, I extend my most heartfelt congratulations to you on this very important celebration.

“I do not take for granted the understanding, patience, commitment, and support you have shown throughout the implementation of this government’s policies and programmes aimed at positively transforming our great nation. Your contributions have played a significant role in our efforts to rescue the economy since we came on board”.

The 2024 Workers Day was marked with high hopes, as President Tinubu told the workers that their days of worrying were over, just as he hinted at his administration’s readiness to consider a national living wage that will address their living condition, instead of a minimum wage, if suggested by the 37-member Tripartite Committee on Minimum Wage set up on January 30, 2024, by the federal government.

He said, “The committee’s mandate was to provide counsel and suggest a national minimum wage that aligns with our current economic conditions. Since then, the committee, in collaboration with labour leaders, has been diligently working towards proposing a new National Minimum Wage.

“Unfortunately, despite concerted efforts, the committee was unable to reach a consensus at its last meeting. This shall be resolved soon and I assure you that your days of worrying are over. Indeed, this government is open to the committee’s suggestion of not just a minimum wage but a living wage.”

Noting that he assumed office at a time Nigeria, like many other nations, were grappling with what he described as “daunting socio-political and developmental challenges”, President Tinubu maintained that his government has been “resolute in confronting these obstacles head-on.

“The scourge of criminality, from banditry to kidnapping and the farmer-herder crises, alongside terrorism, continues to afflict our nation despite the tireless efforts of our armed forces. We are aware of the toll this takes on our economy. I assure you: we are fully committed to tackling these security challenges,” he added.

The President however observed that it would be impossible to “achieve a just and equitable society that caters to the needs of every member, including the strong and the weak, without fostering peace and unity.”

Stanley Nkwocha, SSA to The President on Media & Communications
(Office of The Vice President)
1st May, 2024