New minimum wage: We’ll increase workers’ salaries at all levels ― FG

Chris Ngige

THE Federal Government has said that the new national minimum wage being worked for the country will lead to increases in salaries of public service workers at all levels.

Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, who made this known on Wednesday in Abuja, said when concluded, workers take-home pay would be a cheering news to all concerned.

He spoke at 2018 Separate Meetings of the National Public Service Negotiating Councils I, II and III, with the theme: Sustaining industrial harmony in the public sector: An imperative for achieving Federal Government’s Change Agenda for National Development.

Ngige said President Muhammadu Buhari has insisted the outcome of the ongoing negotiation would lead to an increase in minimum wage that would have a consequential adjustment at all levels and affecting all salary structures.

He said the issue of the minimum wage being handled by the tripartite committee members to come up with a congruent and acceptable minimum wage was already at the final lap of negotiation.

Ngige, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Mrs Ibukun Odusote, said: “I want to use this forum to state without equivocation that the agitations by Nigerian workers for an enhanced new national minimum wage that will alleviate their sufferings would soon be a foregone conclusion where all the workers would smile.”

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Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Winifred Oyo-Ita, reassured stakeholders at the meeting of the Federation Government’s commitment to ensuring that welfare and benefit packages of civil servants are improved.

She also implored the stakeholders at Federal and State Government levels to continuously collaborate and embrace the principles of collective bargaining and mutual respect at all meetings so as to sustain the current industrial harmony.

“I urge you all to continue to nurture your commitment to the sustenance of industrial harmony in the public service through ongoing and other collective efforts on issues that are germane to the continuous improvement of the welfare of employees and the overall development of the public service.

“My office will continue to do its best in ensuring that the welfare of workers is given the desired attention,” she said.

Permanent Secretary, Service Welfare Office, HOS Office, Mrs Didi Walson-Jack who doubles as the Chairman of National Public Service Negotiating Council (NPSNC), explained that the Council is a vital collective bargaining instrument for consultation between the government and organized labour on issues around the conditions of service and the welfare of workers in the public service.

President of Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Bobboi Kaigama, said he was glad that discussion on the new minimum wage has been concluded, insisting both Federal and State Governments must implement the new salary structure as soon as it is announced by the government to assuage the plight and hardships workers have gone through over the years.

He condemned some state governments that are owing workers’ salaries attributing this to fraud, saying all the states in Nigeria have adequate resources to pay staff salaries as at when due.