Osinbajo’s EMT to meet on minimum wage Tuesday

THE Economic Management Team (EMT), led by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, will meet next Tuesday to consider issues surrounding the minimum wage.

Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, disclosed this to State House Correspondents after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari, also attended by the Chairman of the negotiation committee, Ms Amma Pepple, on Friday.

He said: “Next week, we have an Economic Management Team meeting on Tuesday, specially dedicated to the issue of national minimum wage to be chaired by the Vice President.

“For anybody to say that this government is stalling or playing games, will be uncharitable, because, we have done what we are supposed to do.

“We have the interest of workers at heart, we have not retrenched anybody, there is no embargo on employment, there is no embargo on promotions, we are paying backlog of promotional arrears, we are backing backlog of transfers and repatriation and the rest of them and we are giving them houses under FISH and the rest of them.

“So, this government is a labour friendly government and we must put smiles on their faces before the next election…we are labour activists, we don’t want to turn our backs on them.”

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Also speaking, Pepple, a former Head of Service of the Federation, said the committee will submit its report before the month end but suggested that they require a definite figure from the government.

She stated, “Everything is on course but we need a definite figure from government and of course we have to carry the States along. So, we need those figures so that we can conclude on the figures we include in our report.”

Pepple was confident that the new minimum wage will be ready, by this month.

Asked when it will be ready, Pepple said, “This month at least I expect our report will be ready, we are submitting our report to Mr President this month.”

S-Davies Wande