The Federal Government stated that President Bola Tinubu’s administration cannot promise an unaffordable wage. Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, made this clear during an interview on Channels Television on Wednesday.
However, Pate emphasized the government’s commitment to improving the welfare and wages of doctors, nurses, and other health workers. “We appreciate them. Some have chosen to go abroad for training, and we’ve approved this with the expectation they will return. We are expanding training and improving working conditions,” he said.
Pate explained that in the ongoing wage review, the government has submitted proposals to adjust health workers’ remuneration. “Ultimately, it’s about what the economy can afford. We must be realistic and not promise what we can’t deliver. Many unfulfilled promises over the past decade have led to unresolved issues. It’s pointless to keep making promises that can’t be fulfilled.”
He also highlighted President Tinubu’s dedication to the Nigerian workforce, particularly in the health sector, noting his role as the champion for Health Resource in the African Union. This, Pate said, underscores the President’s commitment to improving the health workforce.
The minister’s comments came shortly after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) postponed a minimum wage review memo to allow for further consultations. In his Democracy Day speech on June 12, 2024, President Tinubu assured Organised Labour that an executive bill for a new national minimum wage would soon be sent to the National Assembly. The President is expected to decide between the government and private sector’s ₦62,000 proposal and Labour’s ₦250,000 demand.