By Goodluck Ikiebe
Talks between President Bola Tinubu and Labour union leaders to finalise the agreement on a new minimum wage have been adjourned till next week.
The meeting was adjourned after about one-hour discussions on Thursday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Speaking to newsmen after the meeting, the Nigerian Labour Congress President, Joe Ajaero, said the union did not negotiate at the meeting.
“In the real sense, it wasn’t a negotiation but a discussion and we have had that discussion. We agreed to look at the real terms probably and reconvene in the next week.
“So that’s where we are because we didn’t go down there to talk naira and kobo. At least, there were some basic issues that we agreed on,” he said.
On the N250,000 demanded by the NLC, the labour leader said, “I remember mentioning that we didn’t go into naira and kobo discussion. Now the status quo in terms of the amount N250,000 and N62,000 remains until we finish this conversation.”
On his part, the Trade Union Congress President, Comrade Osifo said that the organized labour put all the economic indices on the table and how it was biting on Nigerians.
He said, “In the meeting we tried to put the issues on the table. Issues that are bordering and biting Nigerians today, the economic difficulties and the value of naira, how it has also eroded, how these have affected the prices of commodities and goods in the market.
“So, we tried to put these before Mr President because he is the President of the country and the bulk stops at his table.
“We have had all the conversations with all his agents, but today (Thursday) we said let us meet with the father of the country and have this conversation and make the arguments that Labour always make.
“We made all the arguments, the economic analysis, macro, micro, fiscal and monetary issues. so we put everything forward and at the end, the President made his remark as the President and we all agreed let’s go back to internalize it, have some conversations and by one week’s time, we will come back and we will continue the meeting.”
