The National Secretary of the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council, JNPSNC, Comrade Gbenga Olowoyo has reaffirmed organised labour’s demand for a N500,000 minimum wage, saying the quantity displays the monetary burden on Nigerian staff amid the rising value of residing.
Olowoyo stated labour remained dedicated to the proposed wage however was open to affordable negotiations with the Federal Government to achieve an settlement that will enhance staff’ welfare.
He spoke throughout an interview on Arise News on Tuesday, following a gathering between organised labour and the Federal Government that lasted greater than six hours to debate staff’ welfare and measures to cushion the influence of rising petrol costs.
The labour chief additionally welcomed the Federal Government’s settlement to supply staff with N70,000 transport assist month-to-month for six months, starting in November, describing the intervention as a constructive final result of negotiations.
According to him, the settlement demonstrated the federal government’s willingness to deal with staff’ considerations, including that labour anticipated the federal government to honour its dedication and implement the intervention as agreed.
“I think with the recent development that happened today, the negotiation lasted over six hours, and with the outcome of the meeting, I think it is a good omen,” Olowoyo stated.
He defined that the transport assist was designed to profit staff in any respect ranges, together with these on the grassroots, following considerations over the rising value of transportation and the stress of upper gasoline costs on family budgets.
He maintained, nevertheless, that the N70,000 intervention ought to function short-term reduction whereas discussions on a brand new minimum wage continued.
“The template of N500,000 is still subsisting. And at the same time, if government is able to dance around N500,000, we would be alright to support the President. So I want to believe that, like I told you, we are not going to be rigid, but at the same time, we’ll be reasonable,” he stated.
The JNPSNC secretary defined that the proposed minimum wage was knowledgeable by the obligations staff shoulder, together with offering for his or her quick households, paying faculty charges and assembly different important family bills.
He confused that though labour was not ready to desert its demand, it remained prepared to barter with the federal government to reach at a mutually acceptable determine.
Olowoyo additionally expressed confidence that the settlement reached with the federal government would result in additional discussions, significantly on the institution of a tripartite committee to barter a brand new minimum wage, certainly one of labour’s key calls for.
He stated the federal government’s resolution to enter into an settlement with organised labour was a sign of its dedication, including that labour anticipated the method to progress in direction of an enduring decision of the minimum wage problem.
According to him, the settlement would profit staff past the unions immediately concerned within the negotiations, because the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has greater than 40 affiliate unions.
He defined that the negotiations initially concerned the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council and eight unions earlier than the NLC joined the method, broadening the scope of illustration.
Olowoyo stated the result ought to due to this fact be considered as a collective achievement for Nigerian staff, no matter whether or not their unions had been immediately concerned within the preliminary discussions.
He additional expressed confidence that the federal government would implement the N70,000 month-to-month transport intervention, describing the signed settlement as a dedication that each events had been anticipated to respect.
The six-month assist interval is anticipated to run from November 2026 to April 2027. Olowoyo stated organised labour hoped negotiations on a brand new minimum wage can be concluded earlier than the intervention expires.
“We know government is going to implement it because that is commitment already,” he stated.
He added that labour accepted the transport assist as a result of it thought-about the intervention an affordable step in direction of addressing staff’ quick challenges, whereas sustaining its demand for the next minimum wage.
Olowoyo stated the approaching months would supply a possibility for the federal government and organised labour to resolve excellent points and attain an settlement that will higher mirror the financial realities dealing with Nigerian staff.
