President Bola Tinubu is set to discuss the new national minimum wage with state governors during the 142nd meeting of the National Economic Council (NEC) at Aso Rock Villa, Abuja, on Thursday.
The President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila, announced the President’s planned attendance while leading a delegation to Kano to commiserate with Vice President Kashim Shettima over the passing of his mother-in-law.
Delivering the President’s condolence message, Gbajabiamila described President Tinubu’s upcoming participation in the NEC meeting as unusual. “He is indeed saddened and he wished he was here with you. You know our President is very ubiquitous, he can be in a million places at the same time, but unfortunately, this bill, as you well know, calls for him to be at the seat of power. He will be joining you tomorrow at the NEC meeting, which he hardly attends; this might even be his first meeting,” Gbajabiamila said.
The meeting follows the Federal Executive Council’s decision on Tuesday to defer the report of the Tripartite Committee on the New National Minimum Wage. The deferral was made to allow President Tinubu to consult further with stakeholders, including state governors, local government authorities, and the private sector.
Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong, emphasized the need for broader consultation before presenting an executive bill to the National Assembly. “That memo was stepped down to enable Mr. President to consult further, especially with the state governors and the organized private sector, before making a presentation to the National Assembly,” Lalong stated.
The Federal Government, organized private sector, and labor unions have held several meetings on the new minimum wage. The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) have demanded N250,000, while the Federal Government, states, and organized private sector proposed N62,000. State governors, however, argued they could not sustain a minimum wage higher than N60,000.
The NEC, established by the 1999 Constitution, comprises the 36 state governors, the Governor of the Central Bank, and other co-opted government officials. Chaired by the Vice President, the council meets monthly to advise the President on economic affairs and coordinate economic planning efforts across the federation.
