SAN FRANCISCO, August 22, (THEWILL) – Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, has revealed that the new wage structure by the Federal Government is still a long way to go because state Governors are yet to submit their proposal on a new wage system.
The Minister told reporters in Anambra State that without a proposal from the governors, there cannot be an agreement on a new wage structure.
Ngigi is the deputy chairman of the 30-man Tripartite Committeeon on the minimum wage set up by President Muhammadu Buhari last November. A former Head of Service of the Federation, Ms Ama Pepple, is the chairman.
Members of the committee are drawn from the public sector (federal and state), the private sector and the labour union. There are six governors – one each from the six geo-political zones.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has proposed a minimum wage of N56,000 but employers under the umbrella of the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association, have rejected the proposal.
But Goverors have also said they were not elected only to pay salaries, adding that the bulk of their revenue would not be devoted to paying workers.
Ngige said although the Tripartite Commmitte would conclude its assignment this month, the delay by the governors to submit their proposal would delay action.
“I am the deputy chairman (of the committee); I drive it. We have a timetable and we will finish everything about it this end of August, but it is not attainable anymore because even in the committee we have not all finished dotting all the i’s and agreeing on a figure
“We couldn’t agree on a figure because of two reasons, partly the state governors have not come up with a figure and the state governors are a critical constituent of this discussion. They have six governors in the committee, one from each geo-political zone.
“So the Governors Forum has not come up with their figure. They say they are still working on it. That was the last submission they made to us and the federal government team. We are working through the Economic management team.
“The Economic management team dictates the economy of the country and they will now take whatever the governors say and fine-tune with that of the federal government, so that is where we are.
“The national minimum wage tripartite committee is still at work, and is until it brings out its figures, brings out its recommendations pertaining to the national minimum wage. It is only after that that a Bill can be sent to the National Assembly for processing and be sent to Mr. President for assent and for it to become a National Minimum Wage Act,” he said.
Ngige also told reporters that the hike in National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members allowances had not been finalised.
He said: “We’ve not concluded because no recommendation has come to the Federal Executive Council.
“As a matter of fact, some ministries, Youth and Sports, Labour, Women Affairs and Budget and Planning have been asked to make input on the proposed allowances of the NYSC members.”
