FOR a period of six months, President Bola Tinubu has approved an extra N10,000 for employees making it N35,000.

This comes after a meeting between representatives of the Federal Government and labour leaders on Sunday to prevent the impending nationwide strike.

The N25,000 that the president had promised low-cadre workers for six months would be made available to all employees was decided during the meeting presided over by Femi Gbajabiamila, the president’s chief of staff.

THE ICIR had reported that the president had approved N25,000 increment in minimum wages for low-cadre staff for a period of six months during the Independence Day broadcast.

Nevertheless, the Labour leaders reportedly turned down the offer and sought more.

The presidency sent a statement shortly after reports on the development were made declaring the additional N10,000 raise.

Part of the statement read:

“The Federal Government, on Sunday, October 1, 2023, met with the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) on measures to address the dispute arising from the removal of subsidy on Premium Motor Spirit (PMS).

The parties noted the following:

i) The Federal Government has announced N35,000 only as provisional wage award for all treasury-paid federal government workers for six months following further consultation with President Bola Tinubu.

ii) The Federal Government is committed to fast-tracking the provision of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses to ease public transportation difficulties associated with the removal of PMS subsidy.

iii) The Federal Government commits to the provision of funds for micro and small-scale enterprises.”

The Federal Government asked the labor unions not to go on strike as the points in disagreement could only be settled while employees were at work and a subcommittee would be formed to hammer out the specifics of implementation to mitigate the effect of the loss of gasoline subsidies.

The NLC President, Joe Ajaero, the TUC Deputy President, Tommy Etim Okon, the NLC General Secretary, Emma Ugboaja, and the TUC General Secretary, Nuhu Toro were among the leaders of the labor delegation.

Fatimah QUADRI