NEC: Tinubu, State Governors Silent On Minimum Wage

Nigerians are yet to know if President Bola Tinubu and governors of the 36 states of the federation discussed the issue of minimum wage during yesterday’s National Economic Council (NEC) meeting.

The federal and state governments kept quiet on the issue of minimum wage after the meeting, leaving millions of Nigerians and members of the organised labour guessing.

It would be recalled that the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, on Tuesday, said the Federal Executive Council (FEC) stepped down the memo about the planned new minimum wage for workers in the country.

Idris noted that this was necessary to allow the president to further consult with other stakeholders on the issue as it involves local governments, states, the federal government and the organised private sector.

Also the NEC meeting, statutorily chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima, was attended by President Tinubu yesterday, a development that raised the hope of keen watchers of the development that there was the likelihood that the threshold of the new minimum wage expected will be put to rest.

But after the NEC meeting held at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, there was no mention of minimum wage as governors who briefed the press did not entertain questions.