FG TO WORKERS AND NLC: WE CANNOT PAY ANY WAGE INCREASE NOW

Minister of Labour and Employment Senator Chris Ngige has explained that the Federal Government will not be able to review salaries of workers at the moment owing to the country’s economic challenges.

He noted that other tiers of government that have more money could pay higher wages.

Ngige, who spoke when the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) visited him, said the minimum wage was an issue that was not contestable since it was a product of legislation backed by an Act of the National Assembly.

The minister accused governors and the organised labour of heating up the polity with the controversy surrounding the issue.

Ngige said the NLC leadership was quite aware that the governors were playing politics with the issue, stressing that anybody that wants a review of the Minimum Wage Act should approach the National Assembly or ask the President to send an Executive Bill.

The minister added that the ministry was planning to review some of the nation’s existing labour laws, which, he said, were too old.
He asked the organised labour to make their input into the new laws.

Ngige said: “This is a government that has three pillars as its cardinal objectives. First, this is a government that wants to bring back security of lives and property, starting with fighting terrorism, which we know that the government is handling effectively and efficiently in the Northeast.

“The second issue is that of making the economy right. Unfortunately, the price of oil is said to be the worst in 27 years. But we still have the stamina and determination to pull the economy out of the wood and so, we require the cooperation of all.

“So, when NLC join the governors in talking about the minimum wage, with the governors saying we can’t pay N18,000 minimum wage and NLC says it is time for us to ask for increase, we now know that these talks are heating up the system.

“The NLC knows better that the governors are playing politics. This is one matter that you cannot play politics with because it is a matter of rule of law. The law in place now is the Minimum Wage Act enacted by the National Assembly and the National Assembly derived their power from the Exclusive List of the constitution, which gives them power to make laws on labour related matters, including the minimum wage.

“So, anybody who wants to talk about minimum wage should go to the National Assembly or ask the President to send an Executive Bill, which can be discussed and it will be a tripartite discussion, involving a public hearing.

“Please let us be patient because this country is going through a very difficult time now and require your prayers and support. Nobody can increase wages now. If anything, if you have more money, you pay higher.

“The third thing, which is also one of the pillars of government, is the fight against corruption. Corruption has eaten so deep into the fabric of the Nigerian system that if you are not corrupt, you look abnormal.

“The labour laws need some tinkering because some of them are very old. Even the penalties that are prescribed in them are very old. You see some laws, which say that if people abuse expatriate quota, they pay a fine of N2,000. It doesn’t make sense.

“As a ministry, we will look at all these laws and with Attorney General of the Federation, we will make sure that we fast-track some of these laws so that the necessary penalties that are commensurate with labour offences committed are meted out to the offending parties. We will need your input.
“We want to reinvigorate our laws and give the Nigerian worker a decent work environment as prescribed by the ILO conventions.”

The minister reinstated the commitment of the government to employment generation, adding that the government was aware that it was the easiest gateway to instability and insecurity.

He added that there was no need investing so much on arms and ammunition when the money could be use to create employment and keep the youths busy.

The NLC President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, told the minister that national interest had always been behind the driving force of the congress, adding that there was the need for the government to respect collective bargaining process.

Wabba hailed the intervention of the minister on the issue of outsourcing of jobs and casualisation.

He said the Nigerian workers should not be treated like slaves, adding that if people were employed with decent work, it would augur well for the system.

CKN NEWS

Chris Kehinde Nwandu is the Editor In Chief of CKNNEWS || He is a Law graduate and an Alumnus of Lagos State University, Lead City University Ibadan and Nigerian Institute Of Journalism || With over 2 decades practice in Journalism, PR and Advertising, he is a member of several Professional bodies within and outside Nigeria || Member: Institute Of Chartered Arbitrators ( UK ) || Member : Institute of Chartered Mediators And Conciliation || Member : Nigerian Institute Of Public Relations || Member : Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria || Fellow : Institute of Personality Development And Customer Relationship Management || Member and Chairman Board Of Trustees: Guild Of Professional Bloggers of Nigeria

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