FG Okays 29-member Panel On N56,000 Minimum Wage Demand

The Federal Government on Wednesday approved a 29-member tripartite committee on a new minimum wage being clamoured for by the workers.

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, disclosed this to State House correspondents at the end of the weekly meeting of the Federal Executive Council presided over by the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo.

Ngige said the approval came after an extensive deliberation on the report of a technical committee on the issue, which he chaired.

“The matter needs to be thrashed out by all stakeholders, because already, employers under the umbrella of the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association have rejected the N56,000 minimum wage proposal,” the minister said.

The tripartite committee will be chaired by a seasoned technocrat appointed by the Federal Government, which will also nominate five of the members, while six state governors will also be members.

The Minister of Budget and National Planning, Udo Udoma, said the 2017 Appropriation Bill, which the National Assembly transmitted to the Executive last Friday, was still undergoing analysis.

Udoma explained that at the end of the analysis being carried out by all ministers, recommendations would be made to the President.

“When the budget is approved, we first analyse it, review it and then make our recommendations to the President. We are working hard, we are still in the analysing process and getting inputs from the ministers,” he said.