By David Torough, Abuja

The Organised Labour yesterday suspended its ongoing indefinite strike action for one week over a new national minimum wage and reversal of the recent electricity tariff hike.

A joint National Executive Council (NEC) meeting of both Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) has approved to relax the industrial action for one week with immediate effect.

It was gathered that the development followed a tentative agreement reached between the Federal Government and the Organised Labour on the new national minimum wage on Monday night with a resolution to further engage daily for the next one week at the level of the Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage until a final agreement is reached.

The Federal Government had assured the Labour leaders that President Bola Tinubu was committed to paying a new monthly minimum wage above the initial offer of N60,000.

This was disclosed late Monday night at the end of a marathon meeting convened by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, in furtherance to the negotiation by the Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage (NMW) and subsequent withdrawal of the Organised Labour from the negotiation table.

Members of the NLC and TUC earlier on Monday embarked on an indefinite nationwide strike to press home their demands for a new national minimum wage and reversal of the recent electricity tariff hike, a development that paralysed activities in both public and private sectors across the country.

In a statement issued at the end of the meeting endorsed by the Ministers of Information and that of Labour and Employment, Mohammed Idris and Nkiruka Onyejeocha, respectively, on the part of the Federal Government, and NLC and TUC Presidents, Joe Ajaero and Festus Osifo, respectively, on the part of the Organised Labour, the meeting agreed on a four-point resolutions as a pathway to ending the ongoing industrial dispute.

“The President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria is committed to a National Minimum Wage that is higher than N60,000;

“Arising from the above, the Tripartite Committee is to meet every day for the next one week with a view to arriving at an agreeable National Minimum Wage;

“Labour in deference to the high esteem of the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria’s commitment in (ii) above undertakes to convene a meeting of its organs immediately to consider this commitment; and

“No worker would be victimised as a result of the industrial action,” the resolutions read.

In a statement issued at the end of the meeting endorsed by the Ministers of Information and that of Labour and Employment, Mohammed Idris and Nkiruka Onyejeocha, respectively, on the part of the Federal Government, and NLC and TUC Presidents, Joe Ajaero and Festus Osifo, respectively, on the part of the Organised Labour, the meeting agreed on a four-point resolutions as a pathway to ending the ongoing industrial dispute.

“The President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria is committed to a National Minimum Wage that is higher than N60,000;

“Arising from the above, the Tripartite Committee is to meet every day for the next one week with a view to arriving at an agreeable National Minimum Wage;

“Labour in deference to the high esteem of the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria’s commitment in (ii) above undertakes to convene a meeting of its organs immediately to consider this commitment; and

“No worker would be victimised as a result of the industrial action,” the resolutions read.

Tinubu Gives Finance Minister 48 Hours to Present New Minimum Wage Template

Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu has directed the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, to come up with the cost Implications on the new minimum wage within two days.

Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, made this known while briefing State House Correspondents after a meeting the negotiation team had with the president at Aso Rock, yesterday.

“All parties to the negotiation of the new minimum wage would work together with the organised labour to present a new minimum wage for Nigerians in one week.

“All of us will work together assiduously within the next one week to ensure that we have a new wage for Nigeria that is acceptable, sustainable and also realistic.”

Idris also disclosed that the President had given a marching order that all those who have negotiated on behalf of the Federal government and all those who are representatives of organised private sectors, the sub nationals to come together to have a new wage award that is affordable, sustainable and realistic for Nigerians

The minister said Tinubu was committed to accepting the resolutions of the tripartite committee on the new minimum wage.

“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. Let me say that the president is determined to go with what the committee has said, and he’s also looking at the welfare of Nigerians.

“The government is not an opponent of labour discussions or wage increases.”

The minister said the president directed that the committee should work together to give Nigerians an “affordable, sustainable, and realistic” minimum wage.

“All of us will work together assiduously within the next one week to ensure that we have a new wage for Nigeria that is acceptable, sustainable, and also realistic,” he said.

Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, had summoned labour leaders to an emergency meeting after the strike which crippled economic activities on Monday.

At the end of the meeting, it was announced that the Federal Government had offered to pay higher than N60,000 minimum wage.