The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige on Wednesday met separately with the members of Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council; the leadership of Trade Union Congress of Nigeria(TUC) and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to resolve the impasse over the consequential adjustment of the National Minimum Wage for Nigerian Workers.
This was disclosed in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Deputy Director Press and Public Relations of the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Charles Akpan. He said that while the meeting with the Labour commenced by 11:30 and ended 2pm, that with the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council is still on-going.
It was resolved however that each group would hold further meetings to sort out all outstanding disagreements before a high level conclusive meeting to wrap up all discussions scheduled for 15th October, 2019. This will pave the way for an equable implementation of the Consequential Adjustment of the Minimum Wage, the statement added.
Organised Labour had given the government October 16 deadline to meet Labour’s demands over the implementation of the minimum wage or face industrial action.
While payment for workers for level 1to 6 has commenced on the new minimum wage of N30,000, controversy still trails the adjustment for grade levels 7 to 14 and 15 to 17.
The minimum wage bill was signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari on April 18.
Those in attendance in Wednesday’s were Minister of Finance, Budget and Planning, Hajia Zainab Ahmed; Minister of State, Finance, Budget and Planning, Clement Agba; Minister of State, Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo(SAN); Head of Service of the Federation, Folashade Yemi- Esan and Director General, Budget Office of the Federation, Ben Akabueze.
Others were Acting Chairman, National Salaries Income and Wages Commission, Ekpo Nta; the Accountant General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris; Deputy President NLC, Comrade Amaechi Asogwuni; the General Secretary of the NLC, Comrade Emmanuel Ugboaja; Comrade Achaver Simon as well as the representatives of the Trade Union Congress(TUC) standing in for the Labour .
Innocent Odoh Abuja
