The National Assembly has urged the Federal Government to continue the payment of N35,000 wage award to workers.
The National Assembly made the plea following the yet to be concluded negotiations on a new national minimum wage.
The President of Senate, Godswill Akpabio, said this at the end of a four-hour closed door meeting with the leaderships of the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress and some Ministers over the planned industrial action by the unions.
Akpabio, the Chairman of the National Assembly, also appealed to the union to shelve the proposed strike action in the interest of Nigerians and the nation.
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He said: “We have been making appeal and asked the NLC and TUC to shelve the proposed strike and return to the negotiating table to resolve the issue.
“I appeal that the strike be suspended for negotiations to continue in the interest of Nigerians and the nation.”
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris, said that government’s position on the wage award was that it should continue until the negotiations for the minimum wage is concluded.
Idris said: “The position of Government is that the Federal Government will continue to pay its workers the wage award of N35,000 that was started in October 2023 until a new wage regime is instituted.”
He said he was optimistic that labour would suspend the proposed strike following the lengthy conversation with the leadership of the National Assembly and Federal Government delegation.
He said that Nigeria could not afford a strike at this moment given the challenges faced on the economy.
Idris said all hands must be on deck to ensure the prosperity of the nation as strike was not the best option at this point.
He added: “And we have pleaded with labour to see reasons with the Federal Government and everybody while the strike cannot continue in the interest of every body.”
The Minister said that government was sensitive to the demand of labour and called on the unions to see reasons to heed the request of the government.
He said Nigeria could not afford the payment of N9.5 trillion based on labour’s demand of N494,000 as minimum wage for workers.
The President of the TUC, Festus Osifo, said both parties were aware of what the issues were.
Osifo said the leaderships of the unions do not have the power to call off the strike, adding that there were processes involved in the suspension of an industrial action.
He said: “We have listened to them.
“We will take the request of the National Assembly leadership to our organs because we don’t have power to call off a strike.
“The power to call off strikes lies with our organs, who would sit to decide.”
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the meeting had in attendance the Secretary to Government of the Federation, George Akume; Minister of Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha; Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun; Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris; Minister of Budget and National Planning, Atiku Bagudu; Minister of Science and Technology, Uche Nnaji; and Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, Aliyu Abdullahi.
Also at the meeting were the Head of Service of the Federation, Dr. Folasade Yemi-Esan; and President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Joe Ajaero.