There are indications that unless there is timely intervention from the President, Muhammadu Buhari, Organised Labour may soon call out workers for yet another round of strike following insinuations that the government was yet to agree on a new National minimum wage with Organised Labour.

The leadership of Organised Labour said they cannot guarantee industrial peace and harmony in the country if the government delayed further the announcement and implementation of the new National minimum wage following the completion of the work of the tripartite committee set up by the President to come up with a new minimum wage for the country.

President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Ayuba Wabba had told newsmen that the federal government will announce a new National minimum wage after a meeting of the National Economic Council, but Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige told the Nation after the Federal Executive Council meeting that the committee was yet to arrive at a particular figure.

Ngige said the government was still negotiating with Organised Labour as the states and federal government as well as Organised Labour and employers were banding different figures which have not been agreed upon.

Sources close to the committee told The Nation that the Minister of Labour himself headed the subcommittee on figures during the negotiations and came up with certain figures which the committee discussed over two days before arriving at a particular figure which is to be communicated to the President.

Apart from the figures, the committee has also drafted a bill which is to be sent to the National Assembly to give the new National minimum wage a legal backing.

Contacted, President of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) Comrade Bala Bobboi Kaigama said organized labour will not disclose its next line of action for now, but waiting for Chairman of the Tripartite Committee to call them to come and sign the final document which will be submitted to the President.

Kaigama told The Nation on phone that since the committee has concluded its work, Nigerians should be patient and await the final document which will be made available by the government, pointing out that the statement by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige should not be taken seriously by Nigerians.
He said Organised Labour will meet at the appropriate time to take a decision on the way forward, adding that it was rather too early to begin to talk of any formal action.

•Excerpted from The Nation report