Leaked Memo Reveals Tinubu Approved N500 Million For Inauguration Of New National Minimum Wage Committee, From SGF’s N1 Billion Request

A letter addressed to the President by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, which was uploaded on X by @PIDOMNIGERIA (99% OPPRESSED), the initial request submitted to Tinubu was a budget of N1 billion.

The letter titled, ‘Request For Approval Of Funds And Inauguration Of The Tripartite Committee On National Minimum Wage,’ reads: “This memorandum seeks your approval the following in respect of the above subject matter:

“i. The release of the sum of Orte Billion Naira (N1,000,000,000.00) only for the above exercise. This has been scaled down from N1.8Billion.

“ii. The 26th January 2024, for the inauguration of the Committee. All relevant documents are hereby attached.

“2. The New Minimum Wage expected to be ready by 1st April, 2024 according to Law.”

“3. Respectfully submitted M President’s consideration and approval Sir,” the letter added.

A handwritten response in the letter from the President instructed the committee to cut down their budget by 50% and start with the approved budget of N500 million.

“Start with N500million first,” the response read.

“The Minimum Wage Committee just allocated the maximum wage for themselves,” a former federal lawmaker, Shehu Sani said while commenting on the development via his X handle.

 

SaharaReporters reported how Nigerian Vice President, Kashim Shettima, inaugurated a 37-man Tripartite Committee on New National Minimum Wage at the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa, Abuja on January 30, 2024.

 

The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, in his reaction, said that most of the governors of the 37-member Tripartite Committee On Minimum Wage were not paying the N30,000 minimum wage to civil servants in their states.

 

Ajaero said, “Most of the governors in the minimum wage committee are those who are not paying minimum wage or paying them in breaches.”

 

“The governors who are in full compliance with the minimum wage are not adequately represented, so whatever made the Federal Government bring in those who are not compliant or compliant in breaches to form the bulk of the membership of the minimum wage committee from the state government that will unfold with time,” he said.

He continued: “A state like Zamfara, I don’t know how much Borno and Bauchi are paying, there is a minimum wage law which criminalises the non-compliance of the minimum wage.”