“PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS SPARKS DEBATE: MINIMUM WAGE MESSAGE TO ORGANISED LABOUR AND NIGERIANS!”

Babatunji Wusu –

The Presidency has urged Nigerians to refrain from exerting undue pressure on President Bola Tinubu regarding the new minimum wage proposal. Assuring the public, the government stated that Tinubu would forward the bill to the National Assembly once it’s prepared.

Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, expressed bewilderment at the rush for the bill’s transmission in an interview with Punch. His remarks came shortly after Organised Labour’s call for the President to consult with them before submitting the bill to the National Assembly.

Labour had voiced frustration over delays in the National Executive Committee, which involves about 300 Labour leaders, attributing it to Tinubu’s postponement of the wage bill transmission. Despite the President’s announcement during his Democracy Day address about a consensus with Labour on the new wage, Organised Labour contested this claim.

While Onanuga acknowledged uncertainty about the bill’s submission timeline, he appealed for patience, stating, “People should exercise patience.” His plea follows his earlier assertion that the ₦250,000 wage demand by the workers’ union is unsustainable, cautioning against overcommitting federal resources to meet such demands.