The President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Festus Osifo, says President Bola Tinubu will next week unveil wage awards to cushion the effects of removal of subsidy of petrol on workers.
Osifo, disclosed this in an interview on a television programme on Wednesday.
The labour movement, comprising the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and Trade Union Congress, TUC, had repeatedly clamoured for payment of wage award to assuage the impact of the subsidy removal on workers, before negotiation on new minimum wage next year.
However, Osifo noted that the Minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Lalong, told TUC he had met with President Tinubu and the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, on the matter.
Osifo said Lalong told the union that the issue of wage had been reviewed, adding that President Tinubu would speak on the matter in the coming days.
“The minister of labour told us that he had an audience with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and the minister of finance and had reviewed the issue of wage award but that the president asked them to fine-tune the issues before he makes the announcement.
“The minister told us all these issues would be streamlined but because the president has travelled, we should give him an extra two weeks. We said no; we don’t have an extra two weeks to give. After more discussions, he said the president would make a proper announcement next week.”
Osifo added that the union had engaged the federal government on the palliatives released to states, adding that “we are going to monitor distribution of palliatives in states to make sure the scheme is implemented appropriately.
