Workers under the aegis of Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) on Monday issued six month ultimatum to the management of National Assembly for payment of National Minimum Wage.
The resolution was passed during the PASAN Congress held within the National Assembly complex, Abuja.
Recall that Chairman, National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, Barrister Ekpo Nta, had in a 2-page Circular dated 21st February, 2022 with Reference No: SWC/S/65/III/696 addressed to the Clerk of National Assembly, Architect Amos Ojo and other Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) titled: ‘Implementation of the National Minimum Wage of N30,000 per month – Reminder’, affirmed that the implementation of the new National Minimum Wage takes effect from 18th April, 2019 when it was assented to law by President Muhammadu Buhari.
To this end, the NSIWC Chairman maintained that “all employers of labour are expected to implement with effect from 18th April 2019, the National Minimum Wage (NMW) of N30,000 per month subject to the provisions of Section 4 of the National Minimum Wage (Amendment) Act 2019.
“Accordingly, any Federal Government Agency that is yet to implement the National Minimum Wage and the consequential adjustments arising therefrom in line with NSIWC circulars that were issued on 14th November 2019, should clear with the Commission if they have problems with the implementation.”
He also stressed that the Commission will monitor the implementation and compliance in line with the provisions of Section 2 of the National Minimum Wage (Amendment) Act 2019. Thereafter, sanctions, as provided in Sections 13, 14 and 15, will apply where necessary.
In the same vein, the Association also demanded for full implementation of the Condition of Service not later than May 2022.
The Association however threatened to shut down the National Assembly if the management fails to honour the resolution.
The workers during the meeting also issued 7-day ultimatum for the remittance of all outstanding taxes deducted from the National Assembly staff to Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).
The workers had during the meeting expressed grave concern over the failure of the National Assembly management for warehousing the tax accruing from their monthly salaries, thereby making it difficult for staff to obtain Tax Clearance.
To this end, the Association during the Congress, resolved to set up a 3-member Committee to investigate the activities of National Assembly management for this amorality.
It would be recalled that the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, Mrs. Zainab Shamsuna Ahmed had in a letter with Reference No:
BD/2000/EXP/5.597/1 dated 26th June, 2020 addressed to the Clerk of the National Assembly, maintained that the new national minimum wage should be paid from the statutory allocation to the National Assembly.
“I acknowledged receipt of your letter Reference No: NASS/CNA/92/Vol.6/455 dated 12th February, 2020 on the above subject requesting my
clarification and status of implementation of the minimum wage with regards to other arms of government.
“As you are aware, the National Minimum Wage Act passed by the National Assembly and assented to by Mr. President binds all Employers to pay the prescribed minimum wage of N30,000.
“The National Assembly, being a Statutory Agency with financial autonomy, is expected to implement the minimum wage from its statutory allocations, which are released to it monthly,” the Minister stated in the letter.
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