The National Assembly leadership’s extensive efforts to prevent the impending nationwide strike declared by Organised Labour starting on June 3, 2024, were not unsuccessful.
During an emergency conciliatory meeting on Sunday, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, reiterated his belief that the government could combat corruption in public offices by paying workers a ‘living wage.’
Representing the Federal Government were Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume; Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun; Minister of Budget and National Planning, Atiku Bagudu; Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu; Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris Malagi; Minister of State for Labour, Hon Nkeiruka Onyejeocha; Minister of State for Agriculture and Food Security, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi; and the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr. Folashade Yemi-Esan.
The Organised Labour was represented by the President of the NLC,Joe Ajaero; and President of the TUC, Festus Osifo, alongside other national executives.
Hon. Abbas disclosed this outcome at a conciliatory meeting called by the National Assembly’s leadership between the Federal Government and the Organised Labour regarding a new minimum wage.
Speaker Abbas clarified that while the government is committed to addressing wage and salary issues, it cannot resolve all ongoing concerns at once.
Senate President, Senator Godswill Akpabio, and Speaker Abbas Tajudeen decided to intervene in the crisis, abandoning their official duties in Lagos State to lead principal officers and members to the emergency meeting at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja on Sunday.
In his opening statement, Speaker Abbas praised the NLC and TUC leadership for accepting the invitation to dialogue.
The Speaker said, “I think the Senate President has already opened the floor. He has made it categorically clear that we are on both sides: we are on the side of the government, and we are on the side of the people. That is why we call ourselves ‘The People’s Parliament.’ Whatever affects the common man affects us, too.
“I am sure someone would recall what I said during the Independence anniversary lecture, that one thing that this government and this country can do to eliminate corruption in the long run is to embrace a ‘living wage.’ There are no two ways about it. But we should also be mindful that the issues of numerous decades cannot be repaired within one day. It will be a gradual process.
“We have to start (from) somewhere and then agree to a plan of what we can do to reach that level where every Nigerian worker can beat their chest and say ‘I am earning enough to put food on the table; enough to take care of my basics.”
He added, “So, my take-home for all of us here is to say thank you to the Organised Labour for even accepting to come to this National Assembly; to give Nigerians and the government the hope that all is not lost; that we can be able to continue interacting, and we can continue to dialogue on this critical subject.”
After the initial statements by Akpabio, Abbas, and the presidents of the NLC and TUC, the meeting proceeded behind closed doors.
Present at the meeting were Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Barau Jibrin; Majority Leader, Senate, Senator Opeyemi Bamidele; Majority Leader, House, Prof Julius Ihonvbere; Minority Leader, Senate, Senator Abbas Moro; Deputy Minority Leader, Senate, Senator ‘Lere Oyewunmi; and Chief Whip, House, Hon. Usman Bello Kumo.
Following the closed-door session, it was agreed that the Federal Government would maintain the N35,000 wage award to workers, which had been suspended in February 2024, pending further negotiations and agreement on a new minimum wage.
