Tinubu, Governors To Discuss Minimum Wage At NEC Meeting

Matters of the new national minimum wage will be discussed by President Bola Tinubu and the state governors at the 142nd meeting of the National Economic Council at the Aso Rock Villa, Abuja, on Thursday.

This was disclosed by the President’s Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila when he spoke in Kano while leading a high-powered delegation to commiserate with Vice President Kashim Shettima over the demise of his mother-in-law.

Gbajabiamila while delivering the President’s condolence message to Vice President Shettima, said President Tinubu would be attending the scheduled NEC meeting held on Thursday, describing the plan as unusual.

READ: Tinubu Asked For More Time To Consult On New Minimum Wage – Minister

“He is indeed saddened and he wished he was here with you. You know our President is very ubiquitous, he can be in a million places at the same time, but unfortunately, this bill, as you well know, calls for him to be at the seat of power.

“Indeed, he will be joining you tomorrow and that’s how important his presence in Abuja is right now. He will be joining you tomorrow at the NEC meeting, which he ever hardly attends, this might even be his first meeting,” Gbajabiamila said.

Recall that the Federal Executive Council had on Tuesday, stepped down the report of the Tripartite Committee on New National Minimum Wage down, citing the need for President Tinubu to further consult with other stakeholders on the matter.

The stakeholders comprise state governors, local government authorities and the private sector.

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris said the council deferred acting on the memo given that the Federal Government is not the sole stakeholder on the national minimum wage issue.

“That memo was stepped down to enable Mr President to consult further, especially with the state governors and the organized private sector, before he makes a presentation to the National Assembly before an executive bill is presented to the National Assembly.

“So I want to state that on the new national minimum wage, Mr President is going to consult further so that he can have an informed position because the new national minimum wage, as I said, is not just an issue of the federal government. It affects the state governments, it affects the local governments, it also affects the organised private sector, and that is why it is called the national minimum wage. It’s not just an affair of the federal government.

“So, Mr. President has studied the report and he’s going to consult wider before a final submission is being made to the National Assembly,” Idris said.