Tinubu to workers: Your days of worrying are over

By DailyTimesNGR 2 May 2024 102 No comment

…says expect not only minimum wage but living wage

…sues for industrial peace, harmony, unity

By Ukpono Ukpong

President Bola Tinubu has assured Nigerian workers that their days of worrying are over as his government is open to suggestions of not just a new minimum wage but a living wage.

This assurance came on the heels of growing expectations of a new minimum wage by the working population in the country.

The President, in a speech delivered in Abuja on the occasion of the 2024 May Day celebration, affirmed that his administration remains committed to improving the welfare of all workers, noting the various relief programmes, including the wage award and the imminent minimum wage review.

While congratulating Nigerian workers on the auspicious occasion of Workers’ Day held, Tinubu said that the custodians of the nation’s machinery deserves a fair wage and enhanced welfare and that a labourer is deserving of not just any reward but fair and commensurate wages.

He assured Nigerian workers of his dedication to not only improving their welfare but also enhancing their working conditions and providing the necessary tools for them to succeed.

“You would recall that on January 30th, 2024, the Federal Government convened a 37-member Tripartite Committee on Minimum Wage. 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,” he said.

The President further saluted the Nigerian workers for their fidelity to the peace, progress, and development of the nation evident in their tireless efforts and patriotic zeal to keep the national engine running.

“Today, I join you to share in the essence of this day and to express my deepest gratitude and admiration for the invaluable contributions each and every one of you makes to keep our nation afloat in its times of greatest need.

“I want to assure you that we appreciate and celebrate your hard work, sacrifices, and contributions to the prosperity and stability of our great nation every day.

“Great Nigerian workers, your role as an indispensable component of the nation’s engine, can not 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.”

Speaking further, he emphasized the need to foster industrial peace and unity, saying it was the only way to ensure a just and equitable society that caters to the needs of every member, including the strong and the weak.

“Great Nigerian Workers, we cannot 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. Our shared vision for national growth and development can only be realised in an atmosphere of industrial harmony and peaceful coexistence in every segment of our country. The dividends we have promised the nation, and which you work tirelessly to ensure, can only be achieved when we all unite for progress.

“On this momentous day, I urge you and all our fellow citizens to place your trust in this administration. The seeds of greatness planted in our nation are beginning to bear fruit, and they promise a future filled with hope and bound by prosperity.

“Let me assure you, with the utmost sincerity, that every initiative undertaken by this administration is geared towards transforming Nigeria into a nation that can truly provide for its people.

“So, I call upon each and every one of you, as I have consistently done, to join hands in shaping the destiny of our nation towards greatness. Our allegiance and patriotism are the bedrock upon which our beloved country thrives.

“The success of our government’s policies and programmes hinges on the willingness of the workers, as the backbone of our workforce, to embrace them wholeheartedly. I appeal to you to continue using the power of the labour movement for the greater good of our nation, fostering harmony and cooperation,” he said.