President Tinubu to meet organised Labour today at the State House Abuja

The Nigeria Labour Congress has said it would press for N250,000 minimum wage during a planned meeting with President Bola Tinubu at the State House, Abuja, on Thursday (today).

The Head of Public Affairs of the NLC, Benson Upah said Labour would insist on its N250,000 proposal during the session with the President.

“We are going to the table with our demand of N250,000 even as the cost of living has since moved up.  We have been very reasonable and patriotic,” Upah told our correspondent.

Labour leaders were invited to a meeting with the President in furtherance of Tinubu’s promise to hold more consultations with stakeholders on the minimum wage.

The proposed meeting is coming about a month after the President said in his Democracy Day speech on June 12, 2024, that an executive bill on the new national minimum wage would soon be sent to the National Assembly for passage.

On June 25, the Federal Executive Council chaired by the President stepped down deliberation on the new minimum wage memo to allow for more engagement with stakeholders ahead of the planned executive bill.

The President took the decision after receiving the report of the Tripartite Committee on Minimum Wage from the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume.

The report, which Akume received from the Chairman of the Tripartite Committee, Bukar Goni Aji, recommended N62,000 minimum wage based on the submissions by federal, state governments and the Organised Private Sector.

Labour at the close of consultations recommended N250,000, but the state governors said they might be unable to pay N62,000.

Suspend Samoa Agreement Implementation, Reps Tell FG

Text by: The  Southern Post

Updated on 10 July 2024

Following a motion of urgent national importance sponsored by 88 members, the House of Representatives has asked the Federal Government to suspend the implementation of the Samoa Agreement until all controversial clauses are addressed and spelt out.

In moving the motion on Tuesday, a member of the House, Aliyu Madaki, drew attention to the clause which highlights “gender equality” and describes it as a Trojan horse which could violate the morals of the country.

The House also mandated its relevant committees to investigate the controversial provisions of the agreement.

Controversy has enveloped the Samoa Agreement signed by the Federal Government with the European Union, with many frowning upon what they thought was the recognition of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) rights by the Nigerian government.

The Samoa deal sparked a barrage of reactions online with many opposing LGBT rights, which is contrary to the anti-same-sex marriages and gay relationships law enacted in 2014 by then President Goodluck Jonathan.

At the press conference on Saturday, Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu; alongside his counterpart in the Ministry of Information, Mohammed Idris, said Nigeria won’t enter into an agreement that was antithetical to the constitution as well as the religious and cultural sensibilities of the heterogeneous people of Nigeria.

Bagudu said Nigeria signed the agreement to boost food security, and inclusive economic development, amongst other vital areas.

Last November, the European Union, its 27 member states and 79 member states of the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) signed an agreement in Apia, the capital of the Pacific island country of Samoa. Hence, it was referred to as the ‘Samoa Agreement’.

With the new agreement which succeeded the Cotonou Agreement, the parties are expected to be better equipped to address emerging needs and global challenges, such as climate change, ocean governance, migration, health, peace and security.

Nigeria signed the agreement on June 28, 2024, but it became public knowledge this week after a disclosure by Bagudu.

A Mix-Up?

In a review of the Samoa Agreement, after it was signed last November, the European Parliament observed that the initial draft agreement contained the LGBT provision but noted that member states “were reluctant to see the foundation agreement mention sexual orientation and gender identity (LGBTI rights)”.

Parties, however, reached a compromise to commit only to the implementation of existing international agreements on the matter.

Subsequently, LGBT rights were expunged from the final agreement and replaced with “gender equality”. Specifically, Article 2, clause 5 of the final agreement stated that “the parties shall systematically promote a gender perspective and ensure that gender equality is mainstreamed across all policies”.