Tinubu launches National Minimum Wage Committee
In a significant move aimed at improving the welfare of Nigerian workers, President Bola Tinubu has inaugurated the Tripartite National Minimum Wage Committee, directing its members to prioritise decisions rooted in social justice and equity. Vice President, Kashim Shettima represented President Tinubu at the ceremony held at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Tuesday.
Emphasising the need for sustainability in all tiers of government, President Tinubu urged the committee to consider the capacity of all parties to pay the new wage. The President highlighted the importance of ensuring timely completion of the assignment to guarantee a smooth implementation process.
“Our objective should be to surpass the basic Social Protection Floor for all Nigerian workers, considering the sustainable payment capacity of each tier of government and other employers or businesses,” President Tinubu stated, underscoring the significance of social justice and equity in determining the minimum wage.
President Tinubu reiterated his commitment to improving the welfare of Nigerian workers, acknowledging their pivotal role in the nation’s development. He commended the tripartite committee’s composition, urging members to approach their task with utmost seriousness and consultation with social partners.
To enhance the gravity of the committee’s work, Tinubu directed state governors, ministers, and the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation to personally attend committee meetings. In their absence, deputies, commissioners, and Permanent Secretaries were mandated to represent them.
“Recognising the significance of this initiative and to ensure substantial engagement, I hereby direct that Ministers and the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation should personally attend the meeting. In their unavoidable absence, their Permanent Secretaries should represent them,” President Tinubu declared.
He emphasised the need for thorough consideration of the National Minimum Wage’s impact on both the workforce and the country’s economy.
Tinubu also stated the importance of timely submission, as it initiates the necessary processes for implementing a new National Minimum Wage. The government’s decision, based on the committee’s final recommendation, will be presented as an Executive Bill to the National Assembly, undergoing thorough legislative scrutiny before becoming law.
In his opening remarks, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, urged the committee to give its best, reiterating that the hopes and aspirations of millions of Nigerian workers resting on their recommendations.
Chairman of the Tripartite Committee, Bukar Goni Aji, assured the President that the committee would conduct extensive consultations to arrive at a new minimum wage that is fair, practical, and implementable.
“We shall, by God’s grace, carry out extensive consultations with key stakeholders to arrive at a new minimum wage that is fair, practical and implementable,” Aji stated.
The 37-member tripartite committee includes six governors, cabinet ministers, representatives of organised Labour, and the private sector. Governors representing different regions and ministers from key economic portfolios are part of this diverse committee, tasked with reviewing the national minimum wage and ensuring a fair and viable outcome for Nigerian workers.
