The new minimum wage to be announced in September of this year is expected to address the issue of social imbalance and close the now-wide poverty gap.
This was opined by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, on Thursday at the round-up of events to mark the 40th anniversary of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
He said the new wage would show that the President Muhammadu Buhari administration prioritises the welfare of Nigerian workers.
He said: “The importance of the Nigeria Labour Congress in the affairs of any government cannot be overlooked. It is the soul of the government because without the workers, be they civil servants, private sector workers or even pensioners, there will be nobody to man the system.
“That is why this administration takes the welfare of the Nigerian worker as priority by putting so much effort into the resuscitation of the economy. I must underscore the fact that the primary objective of the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan is to diversity the economy, grow skills, create wealth, gain infrastructures, ensure food security and provide jobs.
“The federal government is conscious of the need to bring wages to meet economic realities. It is in this regard that the tripartite minimum wage committee was inaugurated to review the national minimum wage.
“The committee is determined to complete its assignment before the end of this year and I am confident that the outcome of their assignment would address the issue of social imbalance, inequality and the wide gap of poverty in the country.”
