NEWS
Minimum Wage: Labour Decries FEC’s Delay Tactics, Urges Consultation
The Organised Labour has decried the Federal Executive Council’s (FEC) delay tactics on the memorandum on the report of the Tripartite Committee on New National Minimum Wage.
It was gathered the FEC had on Tuesday stepped-down action on the memo.
In a swift reaction, the Head, Public Relations at the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Benson Upah, raised a strong voice against the failure of FEC to consider the memo at Tuesday’s meeting.
Upah insisted that the stepping down the tripartite committee report “creates room for injurious speculations.”
On his part, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, told media men after the FEC meeting that they stepped down the memorandum on the new minimum wage to allow for more consultations between President Bola Tinubu, state governors, local government authorities and the private sector.
According to Idris, the FEC deferred acting on the memo on the ground that the Federal Government is not the sole stakeholder on the national minimum wage issue.
Recall that the Federal Government, the Organised Private Sector (OPS) and Organised Labour had held several meetings on the new minimum wage with the NLC and Trade Union Congress (TUC) leaders insisting on N250,000.
The Federal Government, states and the OPS, had, however, made a counter-offer of N62,000.
The interesting twist in the matter appears to be the state governors, under the banner of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) having declared that any minimum wage higher than N60,000 was not sustainable.
While that was going on, some voices of reason including reputable economists threw a figure of N100,000 into the conversation.
However, the Assistant General Secretary of the NLC, Chris Onyeka, had made it clear that Labour would accept neither the Federal Government’s offer of N62,000 nor the N100,000 thrown up by independent voices.
Labour’s position was reinforced by the words of its President, Joe Ajaero, that the unionists were waiting on the President to consider Labour’s proposal.
It does appear that the Federal Government was aiming to politicize the issue of minimum wage by taking the campaign to even religious bodies.
The Minister for Information, had told the 2024 Synod of the Charismatic Bishops Conference of Nigeria in Abuja, that the government was focused on a realistic wage system with a view to safeguarding employment and guarding against mass retrenchment.
According to Idris, the N250,000 minimum wage proposal could undermine the economy, lead to mass retrenchment of workers and jeopardise the welfare of Nigerians.
The concerns in certain quarters note that in his Democracy Day broadcast, President Tinubu assured that he would forward a bill on the new minimum wage to the National Assembly soon.
He told governors and members of the National Assembly on the occasion of the nation’s 25th Democracy Day anniversary at the State House that his administration would pay whatever it could afford as the new minimum wage.
President Tinubu’s stand had drawn the ire of Labour, which insisted that the political office-holders should also be paid the minimum wage.
The Senate spokesman, Yemi Adaramodu, said, “The President will likely send the minimum wage bill after the Sallah break.”
Recall that the Senate had adjourned plenary for the Sallah break and is due to resume on July 2.
But the then acting President of the NLC, Prince Adewale Adeyanju, said Labour would not accept the N62,000 proposed by the government and OPS, advising the President to pay workers a living wage and ignore those he described as sycophants.
He also refuted insinuations that a consensus had been reached between the Federal Government and Labour on the new wage.
On Monday, the NLC President, Ajaero, mentioned that Organised Labour expected Tinubu to reach out to the members of the tripartite committee to harmonise the figure, given the stalemate at the end of the committee meeting.
Addressing State House correspondents after Tuesday’s FEC meeting, the information minister, Idris, explained that the President needed to interact with other wage-paying entities to factor their contributions and circumstances into the executive bill on minimum wage that would be passed on to the National Assembly for passage into law.
He stated, “I want to inform Nigerians here that the Federal Executive Council deliberated on that (minimum wage) and the decision is that because the new national minimum wage is not just that of the Federal Government, it is an issue that involves the Federal Government, the state governments, local governments, and the organised private sector and of course, including the organised labour.
“That memo was stepped down to enable Mr President to consult further, especially with the state governors and the organised 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.”
He said the President studied the report and will “consult wider before a final submission is made to the National Assembly.”
Reacting to the FEC’s decision, the NLC spokesman, Upah, declared that stepping down the minimum wage memo did not bode well for workers.
When asked if the decision to postpone the consideration of the minimum wage memo was a waste of time, he responded, “Definitely, stepping down the minimum wage memo does not bode well with or for us. It creates room for injurious speculations.”
The Deputy National President of the TUC, Tommy Etim, said he expected the President to address the ‘grey areas’ ahead of the transmission of the executive bill on the new minimum wage to the National Assembly.
“I want to believe that the government is very conscious of the grey areas which organised labour has pointed at, especially the amount to be accepted by every party involved, the frequency of review and criteria for the review and application.
“These, amongst others, are the burning issues which to the best of my knowledge need to be addressed before its consideration by FEC to the National Assembly,’’ he noted.
The Commissioner of Police, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Command, CP Ahmed Muhammad Sanusi, has inspected security deployments at churches across the territory, urging officers to maintain professionalism and vigilance during religious activities.
The inspection was disclosed in a statement issued on Sunday by the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh.
Sanusi conducted the inspection on November 8, 2026, to assess the operational readiness of personnel deployed to worship centres and evaluate security arrangements for residents and worshippers.
SEE ALSO: October 1 Protests: FCT Police Call For Increased Vigilance Among Residents
The exercise followed a similar inspection of mosques across the FCT on Friday, November 6, as the Command sustained efforts to strengthen security around religious centres.
During the visits, the police commissioner charged officers to remain professional and responsive in the discharge of their duties.
He also commended residents for their peaceful and orderly conduct following mosque and church services, noting that public cooperation remained essential to maintaining security and public order across the territory.
The commissioner urged residents to continue cooperating with the police and other law enforcement agencies, remain security-conscious and promptly report suspicious persons, movements or activities to the nearest police station.
He further encouraged residents to utilise the Command’s emergency lines, 08032003913 and 08061581938, to report security concerns.
Adeh said the Command’s Public Relations Office remained open and accessible to members of the public for enquiries, complaints, information and other security-related matters.
The FCT Police Command reiterated its commitment to protecting residents and worshippers and maintaining security across the Federal Capital Territory.
Vice President Kashim Shettima has arrived in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, for the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign rally ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The development was disclosed on Friday by Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications in the Office of the Vice President.
Akwa Ibom occupies a strategic position in President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, with major federal investments expected to strengthen infrastructure and economic activities across the state.
SEE ALSO: 2027: Shettima Arrives in Lafia to Rally Support for Tinubu’s Re-election
One of the major projects is the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway, which has an approximately 82.8-kilometre stretch passing through Akwa Ibom.
The project, according to the statement, “promises improved connectivity, expanded trade, greater investment and new economic opportunities for communities across the region.”
Beyond infrastructure, the administration’s interventions in education, agriculture, healthcare, youth empowerment and social protection are also designed to improve livelihoods and broaden economic participation.
The Nigerian Education Loan Fund (NELFund) is among the initiatives highlighted, complementing Governor Umo Eno’s investments in roads, aviation, tourism and human capital development.
The statement noted that the Uyo rally provides “another opportunity to strengthen the APC’s growing political presence in the South-South and make the case for continuity in 2027.”
Executive Vice President and Country Chair, Shell Companies in Nigeria, Elohor Aiboni was among 100 people honoured with the DTN@100 Award.
She joined a list of distinguished recipients recognised by the Daily Times newspapers. The contributions of the awardees to national development will be documented in a special publication, titled Nigerian Grand Book.
Daily Times which started publication in 1926 gave the awards as part of its centenary celebrations in Lagos. The centenary theme is: “Honouring the Past, Shaping the Future.” Chairman, Folio Media Group and Publisher Daily Times of Nigeria Fidelis Anosike said: “We proudly celebrate Elohor Aiboni, Executive Vice President and Country Chair of Shell Companies in Nigeria, for her well-deserved recognition at the Daily Times Heroes Award. As a visionary female leader, Elohor has shown that true leadership is defined by action. Her forward-thinking policies continue to drive real, positive change across our nation.”
In her response, Elohor said: “Although this award is presented to me, I do not regard it as mine alone. I share it with my colleagues across the Shell Companies in Nigeria, our partners, and the many people I have had the privilege of working with and learning from over the years.”
Elohor was commended for her achievements in a career in the energy industry that started in Shell in 2002. In addition to serving in operational roles within and outside Nigeria, she has worked as asset manager for Bonga, leading up to her appointment as Managing Director of Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company Limited (SNEPCo) in 2021, the first female to hold the post. Early this year, she took up the role of Executive Vice President and Country Chair, Shell Companies in Nigeria, also the first female and Nigerian to hold both roles.
READ ALSO: “8216;The Panic Is Real” Atiku Accuses APC of Plot to Weaken ADC
In her acceptance speech, Elohor also called for concerted efforts towards educating the girl-child. She said: “If we are serious about shaping Nigeria’s future, we must be equally serious about educating and empowering the Nigerian girl child. Education provides not only knowledge, but also confidence, choice and the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to her community and country.”
Photo Caption – L-R: Energy and Investment Solicitor, Sam Aiboni; Executive Vice President and Country Chair, Shell Nigeria, Elohor Aiboni; actress Rita Dominic; and Daily Times Chairman, Fidelis Anosike, during the award presentation at Harbour Point, Lagos.
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