Minimum wage: Nigerian gov’t, NLC meeting still inconclusive

The meeting between Organised Labour and the Nigerian government on the consequential adjustment of the N30.000 national minimum wage is to continue Thursday October 17, 2019 as both parties could not reach a compromise on the matter.

The meeting which was earlier adjoined on Tuesday night for Wednesday after both the government and labour shifted grounds on their positions, ended at 2am on Thursday.

It lasted for nine hours after they went on break twice and later set up a committee to look into the gray areas and return back to the negotiation at 7pm.

Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, told journalists that “negotiation has reached an appreciable position” and the process was cordial.”

According to him, “We agreed on so many areas, and we’re adjourning the meeting, we’re giving assignment to some people on both sides and we’ll go and do the work and get back to us.
“The work is enormous so, we’re giving them the entire day to get back to us. Issues of money and wage adjustment as per different wage structures we have in the country.

“We don’t want to make mistakes that could be fertile and thereby putting the whole exercise we’ve done in jeopardy.

“Therefore we’ve consensually agreed that we’ll reconvene this meeting at 7pm today, like I said earlier those that were given assignment to complete there assignment and bring them back to us. Meeting has been moving on smoothly, as you can see from here there is progress, it is very cordial, nobody is fighting,” he said.

On his part, NLC president, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, said, “We’ve made progress in many areas, the areas we’re talking is that of implementation and the consequential adjustment, that is the only subject matter that is under consideration and that is the subject matter we’re trying to conclude and ensure that there is an agreement and then we can share with you.”

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