This is coming barely a week after President Bola Tinubu approved the inauguration of the committee.
Nigerian Vice President, Kashim Shettima, on Tuesday inaugurated a 37-man Tripartite Committee on New National Minimum Wage at the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The Vice President was seen in a short video uploaded on X by the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA).
The 37-man member committee is to be chaired by Bukar Goni Aji, a former Head of Service of the Federation.
This is coming barely a week after President Bola Tinubu approved the inauguration of the committee.
George Akume, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), disclosed the approval in a letter addressed to Comrade Ambali Akeem Olatunji of the Nigeria Labor Congress (NLC).
The letter dated January 23, 2024 is titled ‘Inauguration Of The Tripartite Committee On National Minimum Wage.’
It reads, “I write to inform you that Mr. President has approved the inauguration of the Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage.
“The inauguration will take place on Tuesday, 30th January 2024 at the Council Chamber, Presidential Villa, State House, Abuja at 12.00noon prompt.
“Members are to be seated by 11.30am. Kindly note that a shuttle bus will be available at the pilot gate to convey members to the venue from 10.00am.”
Labour unions in the country have been clamouring for a new minimum for workers at the federal and state levels.
Following Tinubu’s inauguration as President and the subsequent removal of subsidy on the Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), otherwise called petrol, labour unions have threatened a showdown with the government amid rising inflation.
In June 2023, for instance, labour leaders called on the government to increase the minimum wage from N30,000 to N200,000 to meet up with the current economic realities.
The minimum wage was last reviewed in April 2019 from N18,000 to N30,000.