President Bola Tinubu has instructed the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, to submit a detailed report on the financial implications of implementing a new minimum wage within two days. This directive was given during a meeting with the government negotiation team led by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, at the presidential villa in Abuja.
Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, disclosed the president’s directive in an interview with correspondents after the closed-door meeting on Tuesday. Idris highlighted that the meeting was part of the ongoing negotiations with labour unions concerning the new minimum wage.
The swift preparation of the cost implications report is intended to facilitate informed discussions and potential resolutions in the ongoing dispute over the minimum wage, which has led to an indefinite nationwide strike declared by organized labour.
He said, “The president has just summoned a meeting of all those who negotiated on behalf of the federal government led by the secretary to the government of the federation, the minister of finance was there, the minister of budget planning, the minister of information, the minister of budget and national planning, the minister of labour, and the NNPCL GMD.”
“We were all there to look at all issues and the president has directed the minister of finance to do the numbers and get back to him between today and tomorrow so that we can have figures ready for negotiation with labour.”