Buhari directs Ngige to expedite action on new minimum wage negotiation

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has directed the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, to expedite action on negotiation with the organised labour on the new N30,000 minimum wage consequential adjustment.

He gave the directive on Friday night at the 2019 Nigeria Civil Service Week celebration dinner and award night held at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja.

Buhari, who was represented at the occasion by the chairman of the Federal Civil Service Commission, Dr Tukur Ngawa, said there was the urgent need to conclude the negotiation to allow for full implementation of the New Minimum Wage Act recently signed into law.

The negotiation between the Federal Government and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on the consequential adjustment on the earnings of the federal workers as a result of the passage into law of the new N30,000 minimum wage had ended in stalemate.

However, Dr Ngige, who has had several meetings with the leadership of NLC on how to resolve the logjam, declared, on Thursday, last week that he would meet with President Buhari over the stalemate as soon the president returned from his trip to New York.

But President Buhari, in his address at the event, directed the minister to expedite action on the negotiation with the NLC.

He said: “I wish to direct the Minister of Labour and Employment to expedite action on the consequential adjustment negotiation of minimum wage. We have also approved the constitution of the presidential committee on salaries and allowances for the civil servants.”

He expressed the commitment of his administration to providing welfare package for all civil servants, saying this necessitated the signing into law the new National Minimum Wage Act.

He said the celebration was very significant in view of the fact that civil service is the machinery through which the policies and programmes of government are implemented, adding that there was the need to recognise hard work and creativity.

Buhari said his administration was conscious of the mandate to provide virile and vibrant government programmes and to ensure that the civil service is properly positioned to ensure effective and efficient delivery of service to Nigerians.

The president noted that there was the urgent need to promote economic diversification and improve the non-oil export in the face of global economic realities so as to stimulate the economy.

Acting Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Dr Folashade Yemi-Esan, in her remark, said about 86 workers, including some retired permanent secretaries, were honoured with various categories of awards at the event in recognition of their levels of commitment and performance in the discharge of duties.

She maintained that the civil service must continue to evolve new ideas and innovation in order to remain relevant in the scheme of things.