President Bola Tinubu has told governors to continue to pay workers in their state the wage award till negotiations on new minimum wage were concluded.
President Tinubu said this in Minna, the Niger State capital, on Monday during his one-day visit to the state.
He also said Nigerians had no reason to be hungry as the country had the capacity to feed her people and have enough for export.
Tinubu, who stated these when he flagged off the Food Security and Agricultural Mechanisation Programme in Niger State, emphasised that his administration remained committed to ensuring food sufficiency and protecting local industries for sustainable economic growth.
The project, an initiative of Niger State Government, is for the deployment of cutting-edge agricultural machinery and technology for large-scale agro-value chain development in the state.
Speaking at the inauguration, President Tinubu said the event represented another step in the food security and agricultural mechanisation agenda, declaring that Nigeria must enhance its capacity to feed its people and have enough for export.
He said: “We have seen the level of commitment here.
“We have seen leadership.
“The success of any leader will depend on the ability to do what needs to be done when it ought to be done.
“It is now time for us to address the challenges and make Nigeria an economy of opportunities.
“We must care for our people; re-orient our people.
“I do not see why Nigeria cannot feed all students in its schools.
“I know what it means for roaming cows to eat crops and the vegetation of our land.
“I know it is painful.
“But when we re-orient the herder and make provision for cattle rearing, we can address that.
“You are the governors who are to provide us with land.
“I, as President, I am committed to providing a comprehensive programme that will solve this problem.
“I am equally here to partner with you to banish hunger.
“You are doing the job.
“And it is necessary for me to support you; it is mandatory as Nigerians.
“When you read newspapers, some of us are confused about whether to abuse the past or the present or to make excuses for the future.
“But that is not in my dictionary.
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“I think action now, re-engineer the finances of our country and steer it on the right path.
“The student loan programme will commence.
“There will be unemployment benefits for our graduates.
“The social security benefits for the elderly and the vulnerable will commence.
“We are fine-tuning all of that.
”We need to relieve our people of hunger.
“Let all the sub-nationals start paying wage awards, pending when the minimum wage is increased.
“I am not giving an order; I am only appealing.
“NEC (National Economic Council) should adopt this.”
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