By Oluwatosin Maliki
Minister of Labour, Simon Lalong has called the rumours circulating the country that president Tinubu would announce the new minimum wage on October 1, as false reports.
According to a statement from the ministry issued by its Director of Press and Public Relations, Mr Olajide Oshundun on Wednesday in Abuja, denied the reports.
The statement partly reads, “The attention of the Ministry of Labour and Employment has been drawn to reports circulating online claiming that the President will announce wage awards and palliatives to workers during his October 1st Independence Day speech”.
“The report which is said to have emanated from a purported interview with the Director of Information in the ministry claimed that a last-minute meeting has been scheduled for Tuesday between Federal Government and Labour to avert the proposed strike”.
“We wish to categorically state that the report is false and misleading as at no time did the Director of Information make such disclosure.”
The Director of press further urged Nigerian’s to pay no attention to the untrue reports as it is a total fabrication of an interview by the reporter to drive the narrative of the interests best-known to the newspaper.
In addition, he emphasized that the Director of Information at the ministry does not speak for the President, further noting that he was also not involved in writing the speech for the President to make him issue any categorical statement on its content.
He said, “If and when the Minister schedules a meeting with Labour, the public will be adequately notified through verified channels”
Furthermore, “The said newspaper is advised to retract the story and maintain professionalism in its reportage to avoid misleading the public”.