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Tag: 30000 minimum wage

  • States should have been allowed to determine minimum wage, says Makinde

    In a move suggesting displeasure with the minimum wage, Oyo State Governor-elect Seyi Makinde, has faulted the fixing of the new minimum wage by the Federal Government, saying states as federating units should have been allowed to determine it based on individual ability.

    In a statement by his spokesman, Prince Dotun Oyelade Wednesday, Makinde assured that his administration would set up a committee to negotiate the minimum wage with labour unions as soon as he takes over reins of power on May 29.

     “In the particular case of Oyo State, a committee will begin parley with the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) from the first week in June to determine the extent to which government can implement not only the minimum wage, but indeed provide buffers for the workers to live decently,” the statement said.

    The outgoing government has commenced negotiation with labour unions and assured that it would implement the N30, 000 minimum wage beginning with this month’s salaries.

    The Governor-elect also said that it will be futile for the opposition to attempt to twist the implications and meaning of the interview he granted in Abuja because it will amount to selective perception.”

    Makinde reiterated his promise that his administration will be workers’ friendly.

    Makinde has been criticizing the outgoing administration of Governor Abiola Ajimobi of setting a booby trap for him by negotiating with workers and promising to implement the new wage this May.

    The Governor-elect described the move as being taken in bad taste, stressing that the outgoing administration was deliberately creating problem for his incoming administration.

    But the government insisted that its mandate expires on May 28, 2019, hence it could not abandon its responsibilities.

  • Wage Commission delaying payment of minimum wage – Dickson

    Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson told civil servants on Wednesday the National Incomes and Wages Commission (NIWC) was delaying the payment of the newly-approved N30, 000 minimum wage.

    Though the workers, who gathered at the Peace Park, Onopa, Yenagoa, to celebrate the May Day raised their voices in disagreements, Dickson explained the NIWC must work out modalities for the implementation of the minimum wage.

    The governor noted that details of the modalities must be sent to all the states including Bayelsa before implementation of the new minimum wage Act.

    Dickson, however, assured workers that his administration had been at the vanguard of agitation for the new wage saying he was ready to pay the minimum wage.

    He said: “The government of Bayelsa state has announced over and over that we are not against N30, 000 minimum wage in principle. We announced that severally at different times and fora and let me also say so today.

    “What we are doing now is that we are waiting for the wages commission to work out the modalities.

    ‘’There is something called the National Income and Wages Commission. Having agreed to pay, we will still have to wait for them to work out the details and send to every states.

    ‘’I will like you to understand this. I know that a number of you like people who deceive you and you know that I don’t deceive my people. I have told you we are in support of N30, 000 minimum wage.

    “We will pay N30, 000 minimum wage but you have to wait for the national income and wages commission. There is no way we can come and pay when we have not seen the modalities worked out as they affect every cadre.

    READ ALSO: I’ll pay N30, 000 minimum wage before leaving office – Bindow

    “So, that is what we will do on that matter. We have agreed in principle to pay. But right now if I call you to a debate on how it will affect level 10, level two and level 17, you won’t know.

    ‘’That is why all states are waiting for the national wages commission to work out those details and transmit to them. As soon as that is done, Bayelsa will be the first to pay”.

    Dickson, who told the workers that he was delivering his last May Day address as the governor, asked them to forego all sentiments and make decision for the progress of the state in the next governorship election.

    Dickson said his administration had scheduled many training and retraining of workers adding that more teachers would be employed in the educational sector of the state.

    The governor, who said his government had employed more people than the previous administration, harped on the need to flush out overage teachers to create spaces for younger persons.

    In a joint address presented by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the United Labour Congress (ULC), the workers appealed to the governor to offset all salary and pension arrears in the state.

    State Chairman of NLC, John Ndiomu, urged the governor to implement the N30,000 minimum wage, pay gratuities and death benefits; implement promotion and incremental steps and fund training of civil servants.

    He also commended Dickson for withholding his assent on the bill seeking to give life pensions to members of the House of Assembly.

  • Lalong approves N30,000 wage for Plateau workers

    Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong has approved the N30, 000 national minimum wage for the state workforce.

    Lalong dropped the cheering news while addressing workers during the Labor Day celebration at Rwang Pam Township stadium Jos on Wednesday.

    The governor did not however mention when he will commence the implementation of the new minimum wage.

    Lalong, who was represented by the Head of Service Mr Izam Azi, restated his commitment to regular payment of civil servants salaries in his second tenure in office just as he did in the last four years.

    He said: “I was a member of the National minimum wage committee representing the Governor’s Forum and I have pledged to stand by the resolution reached thereof.

    “We would assiduously work hard with workers to improve the IGR of the State so as to meet up with the payment of the new minimum wage” said Lalong.

    “I also pledged that I will do everything within my God- given ability and with availability of funds to clear all outstanding backlog of salaries and sustain the tempo of payment as at when due”.

    READ ALSO: May Day: Umahi approves N30, 000 New National Minimum wage

    Lalong also commended workers in the state for the confidence reposed on him, which led to the landslide victory during the general elections in the state.

    He assured workers to stand on the gains of the past and do more for Plateau State.

    The governor however appealed to the Joint Union of Plateau owned Tertiary Institutions (JUPTI) to call off their strike action as his administration has already attended to some of their demands.

    He said other issues bothering on policy review and implementation were being expressly looked into with a view to arriving at a lasting solution.

    Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress in Plateau State Comrade Eugene Manji, while addressing workers in the state involving all the Trade Unions, said they were ready to open negotiation with the Plateau Government on the implementation of the new minimum wage in the state.

    He called on the necessary agency of Government to without further delay release the template for the new minimum wage to the States.

  • Why 30,000 minimum wage was passed, by Senator

    SENATE Committee Chairman on Labour and Productivity Abu Ibrahim has explained why the Senate passed N30,000 national minimum wage, instead of adopting N27,000 proposed by the Federal Government.

    Ibrahim, who was a member of the Senate Ad Hoc  Committee on the minimum wage bill, said that the Senate concurred with the House of Representatives on the bill to avoid delay and bickering.

    The House passed N30,000 the national minimum wage bill higher than the N27,000 President Muhammadu Buhari submitted to the National Assembly.

    Ibrahim said the passage was informed by the need to avoid the commotion likely to result from harmonisation of the differences by the two chambers.

    The Katsina South senator noted that if there was disagreement between the two chambers, it might lead to the National Assembly not passing the national minimum wage.

    He said when members of the committee considered the difference between what the House passed and what was submitted by the executive, a difference of N3,000, the committee felt it could be addressed later.

    Ibrahim noted that the committee recommended that after the passage, the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation, and Fiscal Commission could review the federal allocation formula to give more fund to the states and local governments.

    Reviewing the allocation formula, the senator said, would enable states and councils to pay the wage rather than waiting for the Federal Government to rescue them through interventions funds.

    Ibrahim said: “We looked at it (bill), the difference of what the executive asked for is N3,000 and the commotion that it will create if we disagree with the House of Representatives, we may not pass it, because we may have to go back and start again and go into harmonisation

    “We are closing for budget defence, so we may end up leaving the National Assembly without finishing the minimum wage. So, we felt at the committee that it is not worth it, the problem that it will create for saving N3,000.

    “Then, we brought another solution that the Federal Government revenue allocation should be looked into to make it possible for states to pay. So, rather than the Federal Government giving them interventions, we can change the revenue allocation formula to give them more money, both local and state governments.

    “We came up with additional suggestion after the N30,000 minimum wage, we suggested that the revenue allocation should be looked into to make the states and local governments more viable.”

    The lawmaker promised to contribute his quota as chairman of the committee, to ensure there is stability between the government and Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

    He stressed the need for a system of industrial harmony between NLC and the Federal Government.

    “There should be a system whereby both the Federal Government and labour unions will know the time when you will start to review the minimum wage. There must be a system that will determine how much you will pay them; is it per annum or for two years for the review of the minimum wage, so we must have that system to be created.”

    On the 2019 budget, he said that quick passage will be good for the country to ensure continuity of government programmes in line with the next level President Buhari promised Nigerians.

    He said: “We are following the system, we have closed for two weeks, we have closed the plenary session for budget purposes.

    “By two weeks, we will finish and it will go to the committees and the appropriation committee will take another two weeks and it will come back to the floor of the Senate and House of Representatives, so by middle of next month or May, we should finish. I am sure it is normal time and we are not hurrying anything and I am sure it will be perfectly done.”