The Minister of Labour and Employment, Nkeruka Onyejeocha, has disclosed that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is not exempt from the challenges posed by the recent surge in fuel prices. This revelation came during a Town Hall meeting with organized labor and employers in Abuja on Friday.
Onyejeocha emphasized that the impact of the fuel price increase extends beyond ordinary citizens to the highest levels of government. She explained that President Tinubu, like many Nigerians, is facing logistical difficulties due to the scarcity of petroleum products and financial constraints. “The President is aware of the hardship that the increase in petrol pump price has brought to Nigerians in recent days,” Onyejeocha stated. “It has brought hardship even to himself. The President is a human being. Let me tell you how it affects him; when he comes out, there are no vehicles, and sometimes they don’t get enough money to buy fuel. It affects everyone, to be honest.”
Onyejeocha appealed for empathy and understanding from the public, suggesting that the collective burden should prompt a unified effort to address the issue. “So I plead with all of us to show more understanding and know that when one is down, everybody is down. There is nobody that is unaffected, and that is why we should all put our hands and our heads, everything together under one roof to find a way forward that will bring meaningful results to the nation. I pray you show more understanding,” she added.
In addition to discussing the fuel price crisis, Onyejeocha addressed the delay in implementing the new minimum wage, which has been a point of contention. She attributed the delay to the labor unions’ failure to finalize consequential adjustments. However, she expressed optimism that ongoing negotiations between the government and the tripartite committee would soon resolve the issue. “As we speak, there’s a meeting on the government side this morning regarding the new minimum wage and consequential adjustments. By 2 pm, the tripartite committee is meeting with the Head of Service. Once they finalize what we are supposed to pay, payments will begin,” Onyejeocha explained.
She acknowledged that the delay was partly due to procedural issues and emphasized that resolving these matters should not be overly complex. “We will not take responsibility for why the figures have been delayed because, on the day we passed it, they should have constituted the committee and determined the figures. It doesn’t take rocket science to establish what we should pay. So, I believe that this will be resolved as soon as possible,” she said.
Onyejeocha reaffirmed the government’s dedication to addressing socio-economic challenges and finding solutions to emerging threats. “I therefore make no excuses as this Government of APC is determined and committed to tackling headlong all socio-economic ills that have troubled our nation, and we shall, by the grace of God Almighty, evolve solutions to emerging threats to our well-being as a nation,” she declared.
The minister emphasized the importance of collaboration between policymakers, employers, and worker representatives in driving national development. “Recognizing this, the Federal Government has sought and continues to seek to collaborate with policymakers, in this case both employers and workers’ representatives, who make development possible by generating and sustaining the momentum so that together we can attain enviable heights of progress in our beloved country,” she concluded.
