Politics
Presidency reveals when Buhari ’ll decide figure for new minimum wage
The Presidency on Thursday insisted that President Muhammadu Buhari had at no time approved the N30,000 recommended by the tripartite committee as new minimum wage.
It said that Buhari would only decide on the matter when the National Assembly must have approved an amount.
Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, stated this in a statement on Thursday entitled: Unnecessary controversy over president Buhari’s position on proposed N30,000 minimum wage.”
The statement read, “The Presidency is concerned over recurring reports alleging that President Muhammadu Buhari has reneged on earlier acceptance of the N30, 000 recommended as the new national minimum wage by the National Minimum Wage Tripartite Committee.
“These reports are contrary to what transpired on Tuesday when the committee presented its report to the President.”
According to Adesina, President Buhari, when the report was submitted to him, had acknowledged the concerns raised by government on affordability and labour’s focus on meaningful increase.
He quoted Buhari as saying in his response on those issues, ‘In a way, both arguments are valid. I want to assure you all that we will immediately put in place the necessary machinery that will close out these open areas. Our plan is to transmit an Executive Bill to the National Assembly for passage within the shortest possible time. I am fully committed to having a new National Minimum Wage Act in the very near future.
‘As the Executive Arm commences its review of your submission, we will continue to engage you all in closing any open areas presented in this report. I, therefore, would like to ask for your patience and understanding in the coming weeks.’
Adesina then said, “From the above, and throughout the report-submission ceremony, the President never mentioned any figure. What he committed himself to was a new minimum wage, and only after the Report of the committee has been reviewed by the executive and legislative processes of government and an appropriate bill presented to him for assent.
“Until the proposed minimum wage has gone through the whole gamut of law-making, President Buhari, who is a stickler for due process, will not be caught in this unnecessary web of controversy, which amounts to putting the cart before the horse and hair-splitting.
“As for those who have latched onto the concocted controversy to play cheap politics, we appeal to them to remember that elections are not won through loquaciousness, and trying to demean the President at every drop of a hat. But then, it is not surprising, as they have nothing else to sell to Nigerians, if they don’t ride on the name of the President. Stiff judgment awaits them at the polls.
“Until the proposed minimum wage has gone through the whole gamut of law-making, President Buhari, who is a stickler for due process, will not be caught in this unnecessary web of controversy, which amounts to putting the cart before the horse and hair-splitting.”
Controversies had continued to trail the N30, 000 minimum wage Amma Pepple-led tripartite committee recommended and submitted to President Buhari on Tuesday for approval, after the organised labour suspended a planned nationwide strike.
Media reports had after the committee report was submitted to Buhari claimed that he approved N30,000 as new minimum wage.
The Presidency has since continued to refute the claim.
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