FG to reconstitute committee to negotiate full implementation

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, says the federal government will reconstitute a new committee to begin fresh negotiations for full implementation of the new national minimum wage.

Mr Ngige made this known when the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress paid him a courtesy visit on Thursday in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that there have been issues with partial implementation of the wage, following reports of commencement of payments for workers from level one to six.

He said it was important for workers earning above N30, 000 and on grade level seven to 17 to be patient as the consequential adjustment of the minimum wage implementation was being sorted out.

“I am one of those who believe that a workman is due his wages, if you work in a vineyard, you will eat from that vineyard, and you will eat all of the fruits that are in the vineyard.

“The issue of the national minimum wage will be sorted out for those other cadres, and I am very hopeful that it will be done as soon as possible.

“The unions of NLC and TUC have not been involved, but when we come back, we will involve you, so that we can have a speedy movement in this respect.

“It is unfortunate that negotiations were deadlocked from levels seven to 17, and issues became on what percentage or slides that they should use on the sliding scale.

“The bad thing is that we are going to discuss and negotiate it, it is a Collective Bargaining Arrangement (CBA), because if we talk strictly about the minimum wage, it is already being implemented because the minimum wage is for the person on the lower rung of the ladder.”

The minister called on Nigerians and the proposed negotiation committee to be realistic in their demands, saying “the economy is in dire need of support and the provisions of the fiscal responsibility law cautions government on spending and debts.’’