The federal government and labour unions rose from their meeting on Sunday with an agreement that all categories of workers should benefit from the provisional wage increment announced by President Bola Tinubu in his Independence Day nationwide broadcast.

The president had announced a wage increment of N25,000 for lower cadre workers in the country.

“Based on our talks with labour, business, and other stakeholders, we are introducing a provisional wage increment to enhance the federal minimum wage without causing undue inflation.

“For the next six months, the average low-grade worker shall receive an additional twenty-five thousand naira per month,” Mr Tinubu had said.

After a four-hour closed-door meeting, Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, said the president agreed to the new formula after an observation by the labour unions.

He said other issues were agreed on and would be made available after the unions might have met with their various organs by Monday.

Mr Gbajabiamila said the government and the unions were all working for the good of the country and its citizens.

‘’We hope labour will convene their meeting tomorrow to present these agreements to their members, and we pray that they will call off the strike by Tuesday for the benefit of the workers and the country, ” Mr Gbajabiamila added. 

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President, Joe Ajaero, said the union had got a “promissory note” from the government to take back to its members, adding that the final decision would be communicated thereafter.

“We have looked at all the promissory notes from the government and how to translate it to reality and make it workable; we are going to take it to our organs and review.

“We are hopeful that our organs will take a look at them and give a fresh mandate on what next to do,’’ he said.

The NLC and TUC had declared an indefinite nationwide strike for Tuesday over the fuel subsidy removal palliatives, which the government had yet to implement.

The meeting had, in attendance from the government side, Mr Gbajabiamila, Minister of Labour and Employment Simon Lalong, and Minister of State for Labour and Employment Nkiruka Onyejeocha.

Others were the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, and ministers of budget and national planning, Atiku Bagudu, finance, Wale Edun, and that of trade, investment and industry, Doris Uzoka-Anite. 

(NAN)