Minimum Wage: Source Reveals Labour’s Demand During Meeting With SGF, FG Delegation

Organized labour during the meeting of the tripartite committee on new minimum wage with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, on Monday made a fresh demand.

According to a source at the meeting, the labour leaders insisted that the government must commit to a specific figure as the new minimum wage for Nigerian workers to enable them to return to their organs for deliberations.

However, the source, which was quoted by TVC, said the federal government wants the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) to return to the negotiation table.

The parties are, however, still locked in deliberations.

At the time of filing this report, the meeting, which started at about 5pm, was still ongoing at the office of the SGF.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army Headquarters has revealed why soldiers stormed the venue of the meeting between the Federal Government and organised labour on Monday.

Naija News earlier reported that the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, SFG, George Akume, summoned the leadership of the Organised Labour for a meeting over the ongoing nationwide strike.

After arriving at the meeting, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), in a post on its X handle, wrote: “Soldiers are Presently surrounding the venue of the meeting between Labour and Government at the premises of the SGF.”

Labour sources also revealed that the action is intended to intimidate Organised Labour, but the leaders remain steadfast.

Reacting in a statement on its X handle, the Army stated that soldiers at the venue are part of the security detail of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu.

The Army said: “The attention of Army Headquarters has been drawn to a false breaking news by NLC alleging that soldiers currently surround the venue of the ongoing meeting between NLC and the SGF.

“Kindly note that the NSA, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, who is also attending the meeting, arrived at the meeting venue with his retinue of statutorily approved military escorts. Once the meeting is over, the escorts will lead the NSA from the venue.

“Kindly disregard the deliberate and misleading falsehood being peddled about the presence of the escorts at the meeting.”