SaharaReporters earlier reported that officials familiar with the proposal had informed newsmen that the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, presented N105,000 as the proposed minimum wage.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has  denied any involvement in the alleged proposal of a new minimum wage of N105,000 to President Bola Tinubu. 

SaharaReporters earlier reported that officials familiar with the proposal had informed newsmen that the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, presented N105,000 as the proposed minimum wage.

Meanwhile, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Strategy,  Bayo Onanuga, described the claim as untrue, but failed to give the correct proposal. 

“The minister of Finance and coordinating minister of the economy, Wale Edun has not proposed N105,000 minimum wage. The contrary story being disseminated is false,” Onanuga said.

Speaking with SaharaReporters on Friday, the NLC spokesperson, Comrade Benson Upah, stated that no one proposed N105,000 as the new minimum wage, and the NLC was not aware of such a proposal.

When asked if state governments could afford to pay N494,000 as the new minimum wage, he said most of the state governors were selfish. 

He noted that even the current N30,000 minimum wage was not being paid by some states, except for Lagos and Edo, which are paying N70,000.

“More governors are willing to pay a reasonable rate, but those who are lawbreakers should be recognised as lawbreakers. It will not make their treasury richer or bigger; it will only end up impoverishing the state because workers’ wages drive the economy of most states.” 

Reacting to the statement made by George Akume, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, who said he couldn’t pay each of his four drivers N100,000 monthly in light of the new minimum wage.

According to Upah, “It is very unfortunate that the SGF is instigating the governors or using his office to discourage the government from paying the new minimum wage proposed by the NLC.” 

He said the capacity to pay a reasonable national minimum wage was not dependent on surplus resources, and it was not dependent on the caprices and whims of anybody, but rather on the necessity to do the right thing by solving problems.

He added that even the Holy Book says labourers deserved their wages.

“Our concern is not at the pleasure of the governor or government officials; it is a necessity, a need.” 

The NLC spokesperson said, “Those who claim they cannot afford to pay the minimum wage can’t even give such money to their side chicks; they give them more than that