Organised labour has rejected the N48,000 proposed by the federal government as minimum wage for public service workers.

The government’s position was presented to labour at the resumed tripartite committee meeting on Wednesday, May 15.

In protest, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) walked out of the meeting which was held virtually.

A labour leader, who was part of the meeting, said the federal government was not serious about giving workers a living wage.

“What the government has presented to us is wage reduction. This government is not serious about giving workers a living wage,” the labour leader said.

Tinubu had on May Day promised workers a living wage, assuring them that their days of waiting for a living wage were over.

NLC and TUC proposed N615,000 as minimum wage, citing the high cost of living as the yardstick for the proposal.

During Wednesday’s meeting, the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA), which had earlier declared that the least worker in the private sector was paid N78,000, presented N54,000 as the new minimum wage.

As of the time of filing this report, the NLC and TUC have called for an emergency press briefing to present the federal government’s proposal at the meeting to pay workers the minimum wage, and their next line of action.

President Tinubu, through Vice President, Kashim Shettima, on January 30, inaugurated the 37-member tripartite committee to come up with a new minimum wage.

With its membership cutting across federal, and state governments, the private sector, and organised labour, the panel is to recommend a new national minimum wage for the country.

Shettima, during the committee’s inauguration, urged the members to “speedily” arrive at a resolution and submit their reports early.

“This timely submission is crucial to ensure the emergence of a new minimum wage,” Shettima said.

He also urged collective bargaining in good faith, emphasising contract adherence and encouraging consultations outside the committee.

The 37-man committee is chaired by the former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Goni Aji.

Nigeria’s President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has inaugurated three critical gas infrastructure projects in Nigeria.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited, AHL, and Sterling Oil Exploration & Energy Production Company Limited (SEEPCO) jointly control the 200 million standard cubic feet per day (mmscf/d) AHL Gas Processing Plant 2 (GPP – 2), which Tinubu officially opened.

It is an addition to Delta’s Kwale Gas Processing Plant (GPP – 1). Additionally, the president officially opened the ANOH-OB3 CTMS gas pipeline project and the ANOH gas processing plant, both operated by NNPC and AGPC Seplat Energy and situated in the state of Imo.

In a virtual speech, Tinubu stated that the three gas projects help the federal government’s goal of reducing gas flaring and increasing the value of the country’s gas resources.

Tinubu also commended NNPC and other partners for completing the projects within 11 months, and not two years as earlier planned.

“It is pleasing that approximately 500MMscf of gas in aggregate would be supplied to the domestic market from these two gas processing Plants, which represents over 25% incremental growth in gas supply,” he said.

“In practical terms, this is more gas to the power sector, gas-based industries and other critical segments of the economy.”

The president said the federal government is stepping up its coordination of other landmark projects and initiatives to ensure the earliest realisation of gas-fueled prosperity in the country.

He also assured investors in the energy space that “this is an investment enabling the government and we will not relent in facilitating the ease of doing business”.

“The theme of this commissioning, ‘From Gas to Prosperity; Renewed Hope,’ must be adopted by all gas sector participants and would-be investors as a clarion call to ramp up efforts to accelerate investment and developments of projects in the gas sector on a win-win basis,” Tinubu added.

He further commended NNPC and its partners, SEEPCO and Seplat Energy, for the laudable and value-adding projects.

On his part, Mele Kyari, group chief executive officer (GCEO) of NNPC, said the three infrastructure projects will enable additional gas processing capacity and also increase the supply of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), thereby, reducing the dependency on importation.

“NNPC is currently executing several major gas infrastructure projects such as the Ajaokuta-Kaduna-Kano pipeline with the associated power plants, the full delivery of the wider OB3 project shortly and also progressing with other initiatives such as fertiliser and petrochemical plants, small and large scale LNG and floating LNG” Kyari said.

He said the projects present the opportunity to monetise the country’s abundant natural gas resources, by expanding access to energy to support economic growth, industrialisation, and job creation.

In his remarks, Ekperikpe Ekpo, minister of petroleum resources (gas), said in keeping with the climate control agenda, the government decided to use gas as the transition fuel to achieve green energy by 2060.

“The decision to eliminate fuel subsidies at the start of your administration has compelled increased spending in the upstream and midstream gas development, and the use of gas as an appropriate, more cost-effective, and cleaner alternative to diesel and gasoline,” Ekpo said.

The minister added that the plant will promote rapid industrialization in Nigeria and boost power generation.

Popular street musician, Habeeb Okikiola, also known as Portable, has remained in police custody for failing to meet the bail conditions for his release.

It was earlier reported that he was arrested for allegedly refusing to pay the N14 million debt he incurred when he bought a G-Wagon from a car dealer in Lagos State.

According to the Lagos State Police Command’s spokesman, Benjamin Hudenyin, the singer will remain in detention pending when he’s able to produce a reliable surety before he can be granted bail.

“He has presented no reliable surety yet so he (Portable) is still with us,” Hundeyin said.

More to come…