The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Chris Ngige

  • FG, governors to meet on Monday over minimum wage – Ngige 

    The Minister of Labour, Chris Ngige, on Friday said the Economic Management Team (EMT) and governors will meet on Monday towards addressing the N30, 000 minimum wage proposal and other grey areas.

    Read Also:Labour condemns govt’s plan to derail minimum wage

    The organised labour is threatening to embark on strike action on November 6th, 2018 over minimum wage and other issues.

    According to Ngige, no final decision has been taken by the government on the proposed N30, 000 minimum wage.

    Speaking with State House correspondents after meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Ngige insisted that the government will not fail to implement the ‘No work, no pay’ rule.

    He said that the rule started under the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo.

     

     

    Details Later…

  • NLC to Govt: We are workers, not slaves

    Says ‘we will not be intimidated’

     

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has accused the Minister of Labour, Senator Chris Ngige of feeding the public with half truth about the work of the tripartite Committee on the new National minimum wage and misleading the government into gagging workers and forcing them to become slaves rather than workers.

    Rising from its National Executive Council meeting in Abuja, the NLC said workers in the country will not be intimidated by any threat of no work no pay, pointing out that the government was trying to return the country to the dark days of the Abacha military regime and force workers not to protest against inhuman treatment by the government through non payment of salaries.

    The Congress accused the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige of trying to twist the truth by misinforming the public that the meeting of October 4 and 5, 2018 was inconclusive as the members of the Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage did not agree on a figure.

    They NEC which is the highest decision making organ of the NLC said the recent antics of Minister of Labour and Employment was anti-labour and anti-workers especially with regards to the Minister’s utterances which the it deemed as an act of bad faith intended to scuttle the work of the Committee on the new national minimum wage.

    It rejected and condemned the Minister’s claims in the media that negotiations are still ongoing on the issue of a New National Minimum Wage which implementation is already long overdue, adding that it was disturbed by government’s new offensive against Organized Labour and workers’ rights as contained in a report submitted to the Federal Executive Council by the Minister of Labour and Employment and on which Government has issued a White Paper.

    According to the NLC NEC, this latest posture by government as calculated to cow workers into submission as well as stop Labour from protesting against Government’s foot dragging on the new national minimum wage and an assault on workers with the “no work, no pay” clause in the Trade Disputes Act;

    The communique signed by the NLC President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba and General Secretary, Dr. Peter Ozo-Eson argued that fixing of tenure for workers holding union executive positions in contravention of the provisions of ILO Convention 87; and while the prohibition or exclusion of non-card carrying members of trade unions from leading or being part of negotiation delegations of trade unions reminiscent of the Abacha military era.

    It resolved to “organize a national day of mobilization and sensitization rallies for all workers to show their outrage and mourning in the 36 states of the federation and FCT on Tuesday, 30th October, 2018. The day will also be used to educate and sensitize Nigerians on the horrendous plight of workers and pensioners, the insensitivity and duplicity of Government on labour issues, and to protest the proposed obnoxious policies of government against Organized Labour;

    Read Also: Minimum Wage: Muslim Congress backs NLC

    ‘To hold joint organ meetings of the Central Working Committees (CWCs) of all the Labour Centres on November 2, 2018 for final preparations for a full engagement with Government on the national minimum wage and to commence an indefinite national strike and industrial actions from November 6, 2018; except government accepts and commences the process of perfecting the payment of N30,000 as the negotiated and compromise new national minimum wage before that date.

    The Congress asked Nigerians to start stocking food and other necessities of life as workers will ensure a total shutdown of the country, while condemning “government for its design/plan to clamp down on Labour via selective and erroneous invocation of the ‘no work, no pay” clause in the Trade Disputes Act, noting that the right to strike is both a human and trade union right and cannot be abridged as it is what distinguishes a worker from a slave; there is nothing new about this clause as it has been in our statutes for over forty years;

    “The NEC-in-session advised the government to look at the log in its eyes before picking out the speck in other people’s eyes. The NEC also demanded from government to uphold the principles of the rule of law, fairness, equity and justice by invoking “no pay, no work”;
    The Congress maintained that “the threat of no work… no pay will not deter it from embarking on strike when necessary as it has always complied with legal requirements precedent and will always comply with those requirements. The NEC-in-session urges Nigerian workers to disregard government’s directive on “no work, no pay” because workers are already being impoverished and being owed arrears of salaries;

    “The NEC observed that government’s designs to influence the tenure of union executives and membership of unions negotiating teams, constitute a direct interference in the internal affairs of the unions in direct contravention of the Articles 3, 4 and 8 of ILO Convention 87 (to which Nigeria is a signatory since 1960)

    It advised Government to shelve its White Paper or risk being reported to the ILO; pointing out that it Will not to be bound by the latest White Paper by government against labour as it is an illegality and a throwback to the dark days of fascism which Organized Labour successfully confronted.

    It stressed that “this communique serves as formal notice to government that the NLC will commence an indefinite national strike and industrial actions from November 6, 2018; except government accepts and commences the process of perfecting the payment of N30,000 as the negotiated and compromise new national minimum wage on or before that date.”

  • Minimum Wage: FG urges organised labour to accept offer

    The Federal Government has urged Organised Labour to accept the new minimum wage proposal considering the capacity and ability of the government and the private sector to pay.

    Minister of labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige, made the call when he received the new Director-General of Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA), Mr Timothy Olawale, on a visit to his office on Friday in Abuja.

    Ngige had a few days ago, while labour leaders were threatening to call out workers for full strike over the minimum wage issue, announced that the Federal Government had offered N24, 000 to the workers.

    But, the workers’ leaders countered, saying that N30, 000 was the amount agreed on by the committee saddled with the responsibility.

    The minister told NECA DG that it was imperative for organised labour to accept the proposed figure instead of the N30, 000 in line with social dialogue and the overall interest of the nation.

    He appealed to NECA to weigh its influence on the organisers labour to accede to the new wage offer mutually agreeable to all the social partners.

    According to him, Nigeria cannot afford rounds of labour crisis in this country, so it is imperative for organised labour to accept the new national minimum wage figure.

    “We need to arrive at a figure which the employers can afford to pay as an employee cannot fix a figure for the employer.

    “Rather, it must be based on collective bargaining and mutual agreement by the tripartite partners.

    “It is not a function of moving motions or voting at the National Tripartite Negotiation Committee to insist that the figure must be as the organised labour appears to make it look.

    “There is, therefore, absolutely no need to heat up the polity,” he said.

    He noted that the government’s proposed new wage was based on critical facts and indices incapable of causing disequilibrium in the economy or upturning the national social order.

    The minister further charged the new NECA boss to exceed the impressive record of his predecessor, reminding him that he had “enormous task ahead of you’’.

    “The need for the establishment of more NECA offices across the country cannot be over-emphasised so that more employers’ associations can register with you.

    “This is in line with the focus of our labour administration as well as in tandem with the economic policies of the present administration.

    “The numerous private sector employers who are informal need to be brought on board the formalized private sector employers’ body,’’ he said.

    Ngige urged NECA to ensure that private sector employers who were its members and those not yet registered but were defaulting in payment of the existing national minimum wage of N18, 000 complied with the law.

    He also commended the efforts of the immediate past D G of the association, Mr Olusegun Oshinowo, for contributing immensely to industrial peace and harmony in the private sector.

    Read Also: Group seeks presidential pardon for Kanu, IPOB

    He lauded him for ensuring that Nigeria was brought back to the Governing Board of the International Labour Organisation (ILO)’s employer section.

    Earlier, Oshinowo had said that his successor was the best man to take over the mantle of the leadership of the association.

    He noted that since the formation of the group, a DG was for the first time sourced from the organisation.

    Oshinowo commended the minister for his open-door policy in spite of opposing positions they had had on issues in the past.
    On his part, Olawale, also lauded Ngige for the privilege of the visit and promised to live up to expectation.

  • No-work, no-pay principle to apply during strike – FEC

    The Federal Executive Council ( FEC ) has approved the implementation of the no-work, no pay principle when workers go on strike in the federal public service.

    Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, disclosed this on Wednesday in the Presidential Villa, Abuja while briefing State House Correspondents after FEC meeting presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    He said the approval was sequel to the adoption of the Draft White Paper on the Report of the Technical Committee on Industrial Relations Matters in the Federal Public Service.

    Ngige said that the public service in Nigeria was bedevilled by problems and conflict areas; hence governments over time set up various committees and brought out circulars in a bid to stem the tide of industrial dispute.

    The minister said that the technical committee, which was inaugurated on April 27, 2016, did their work and submitted to the FEC in Oct. 2017.

    “FEC in turn, empanelled a committee of ten which I chaired to do a government Draft White Paper on those contentious areas that the technical committee had looked at.

    “These contentious areas are enforcement of section 43 of the Trade Dispute Act Law of the Federation 2004; this is the section that deals with lockout of workers by their employers without declaring redundancy appropriately.

    “Because in some establishments, especially in the private sector, workers are locked out by their employers; so the law there says that if you lock your workers without passing through the normal channel-due process.

    “For the period of the lock out, the worker is assumed to be at work and will receive all the remunerations and allowances, benefits accruing to him for the period and that period will also be counted for him as a pensionable period in the computation of his pension.

    “But when workers go on strike, the principle of no-work-no-pay will also apply because that principle is enshrined in the same section 43 of the Labour Act.’’

    According to Ngige, the section says that for the period a worker withdraws his services, government or his employers are not entitled to pay.

    The minister said that under the section, the period for which the worker was absent would not count as part of his pensionable period in the public service.

    He said that FEC accepted it as a white paper recommendation that should be gazetted because even the National Industrial Court had made pronouncement on that law and said that it was clear.

    Ngige said that another area was the issue of public servants remaining permanently in the executive bodies on trade unions.

    “Government realises that some persons in the public service go into trade union executive positions; hold offices; and they do that for life; for as long as they are in the service.

    “In doing so, they will refuse postings and deployments under the guise that are doing trade union activities; government says no.

    “You have to be a public servant first before you become a trade unionist; therefore, if you are there; the public service rules will also apply to you.

    Read Also: Senate endorses FG’s $2.786 bn foreign loan

    “And in doing so, government says establishments will look at the issues and give it a human face in order not to disrupt trade unionism.

    “And in furtherance to this, government has also said that there must tenure stipulations because people stay there without tenure; many organisations give people union positions without tenure; government says there is no office that does not have tenure.’’

    Ngige said that trade unions, henceforth, should present constitutions that must have tenures; at least, maximum of two tenures for any elective position.

    He said that another aspect of the report discussed by the council was the issue of residence training for medical doctors.

    According to him, the residence training for medical doctors has been contentious one as some medical doctors come into this training and become professional unionists and stay there as permanent job.

    He said that the Federal Government had fixed tenure for residence training of medical doctors, which was seven years within the trainee was to pass all his exams or quit.

    Ngige said that FEC also looked at the Ayere report on inter-professional rivalry in the health sector and directed the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) to present it FEC for deliberation.

    On the minimum wage, the minister restated that the Federal Government’s stance was N24, 000 per month.

    He said that once minimum wage was fixed, any organisation or state that had the capacity to pay more could do that.

    Ngige cited that Edo, Delta and Lagos states paid their workers more than the current N18, 000 national minimum wage.

  • FG pegs seven years for doctors’ resident training

    ….Seeks tenures for trade unionist

     

     

    The Federal Government on Wednesday pegged seven years tenure for doctors’ resident training.

    The Minister of Labour, Chris Ngige briefed State House correspondents at the end of FEC meeting chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    Read Also:Doctors, UCH settle 12 indigent patients’ bills

    He said “Government has fixed a tenure for doctors’ resident training at seven years. It is not a permanent job.

    According to him, FEC took the decision from report submitted by its 10-man technical committee, chaired by himself, and now to do a government white draft paper on contentions areas.

    He said that the government is also moving against gross abuse of private practice by health officials in full government employment and cases of public school teachers operating their own private clinics and schools.

    Part of the decisions, he said, is that the government is now against public servants remaining permanently in the executive bodies of trade unions.

    He noted “They refused postings and redeployments. Government said no, you have to be a public servant first before you become a trade unionist. Government has also says there must be tenure stipulations. People stay there without tenure.

    He said that the White Paper also recommended that unionists from the public service will not serve more than two-terms to prevent them using their positions to thwart their original workplace assignments, regulations or transfers and similar duties.

    “Trade unions should give us constitutions that show tenures, maximum of two tenures for any elective positions,” he said.

    He also said that the Federal Government has ruled out skipping by doctors, nurses, lab technologist and the general public service.

    FEC, he said, approved that employers who lock out workers must pay them for the period they didn’t work, while government will also enforce the ‘no-work-no-pay rule’ when workers embark on strike actions.

    He said that the white paper also contained issues on authentication of all pay related documents in collective bargaining and ruling out non-government employees from representative government during bargaining.

    On the new minimum wage, he insisted that the government can only implement what it can pay, which is N24, 000.

  • FEC okays issuance of $2.9 billion Eurobond

    …Approves six transaction parties

     

    The Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Wednesday approved the issuance of $2.9 billion Eurobond towards implementing 2018 budget.

    This was disclosed by the Minister of Finance, Zainab Ahmed at the end of the FEC meeting chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    She was with the Senior Special Assistant on Media and publicity, Garba Shehu, Minister of Agriculture, Audu Ogbeh and the Minister of Labour, Chris Ngige.

    Read Also:$2.5b Eurobond: Nigeria faces higher debt service cost – Fitch

    She said “We got approval for the issuance of $2.9 billion in Eurobonds and other securities from the international capital markets.

    “They are to enable us implement the external borrowing plan of 849.6 billion equivalent to $2.786 billion, which is provided for in the 2018 Appropriation Act.  And this is to fund capital projects in the 2018 budget.

    “We also got approval to raise $82.5million to bridge the shortfall of 500 million Eurobond that matured on the 12th of July 2018,” she said.

    According to her, FEC also approved six transaction parties including Citigroup Global Market Limited, Standard Chartered Bank as joint manager; FSDH Merchant Bank Limited as financial adviser; White and Case LLP, Banwo and Ighodalo as legal adviser and Africa Practice Limited as technical adviser on communication.

    She said that they are expected to adviser the Nigerian Government on the structure and timing and documentation for the issuance of the Eurobonds and other securities.

    The Minister also disclosed that the total cost of the six advisory groups is N374 million

    She went on “We also got approval for $60 million loan for livelihood improvement family enterprise project in the Niger Delta for six states, while three other states will join them in the phase two.

    “N187 million 600 bullet proof vest and helmets for Nigeria Customs Service in the fight against rice smuggling into the country,” she added.

     

  • Minimum wage: ‘We cannot guarantee industrial peace’

    There are indications that unless there is timely intervention from the President, Muhammadu Buhari, Organised Labour may soon call out workers for yet another round of strike following insinuations that the government was yet to agree on a new National minimum wage with Organised Labour.

    The leadership of Organised Labour said they cannot guarantee industrial peace and harmony in the country if the government delayed further the announcement and implementation of the new National minimum wage following the completion of the work of the tripartite committee set up by the President to come up with a new minimum wage for the country.

    President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Ayuba Wabba had told newsmen that the federal government will announce a new National minimum wage after a meeting of the National Economic Council, but Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige told the Nation after the Federal Executive Council meeting that the committee was yet to arrive at a particular figure.

    Ngige said the government was still negotiating with Organised Labour as the states and federal government as well as Organised Labour and employers were banding different figures which has not been agreed upon.

    Sources close to the committee told The Nation that the Minister of Labour himself headed the subcommittee on figures during the negotiations and came up with certain figures which the committee discussed over two days before arriving at a particular figure which is to be communicated to the President.

    Apart from the figures, the committee has also drafted a bill which is to be sent to the National Assembly to give the new National minimum wage wage a legal backing.

    Read Also: Minimum Wage: No agreement on N30,000, Says FG

    Contacted, President of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) Comrade Bala Bobboi Kaigama  said organized labour will not disclose its next line of action for now, but waiting for Chairman of the Tripathite Committee to call them to come and sign the final document which will be submitted to the President.

    Kaigama told The Nation on phone that since the committee has concluded it’s work, Nigerians should be patient and await the final document which will made available by the government, pointing out that the statement by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige should not be taken serious by Nigerians.

    He said Organised Labour will meet at the appropriate time to take a decision on the way forward, adding that it was rather too early to begin to talk of any formal action.

    He said “Like you know, the tripartite committee has concluded its assignment. We are waiting for the Chairperson of the committee and former Head of Service of the Federation, Ms. Ama Pepple to invite them to come and sign a clean copy of the final report which will be submitted to the President.”

    In a reaction to the Minister’s claims, Organised Labour had accused the minister of creating unnecessary tension among workers and Nigerians with his statement.

    They said “Our attention has been drawn to a statement credited to the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige claiming that no amount has been agreed by the Tripartite Committee recommendation to government. The report further claimed that the Minister said that government was still negotiating with Labour.

    “It is rather unfortunate and sad if indeed, the Honourable Minister made those statements. For the avoidance of doubt, organised labour representatives Wish to state unequivocally that the Tripartite Committee concluded is work, adopted a figure through a formal motion moved, seconded and adopted In the absence of any counter motion.

    “This was after a thorough debate of a report from the subcommittee figure, chaired by Senator Ngige himself which presented four scenarios for consideration.

    “The subcommittee worked on the basis of a figure proposed by the Federal Government, figures proposed by a number of state government, as well as proposals submitted by the Organised Private Sector and Organised Labour.

    “The Committee formally adjourned its sitting with a decision that a date will be communicated to members for the signing of the report and submission of same to Mr President.

    “Organised Labour, therefore frowns at the manipulation and bending of facts in an attempt to delay or derail the processes needed to promulgate a new National Minimum Wage. We call on the government to take immediate necessary steps to ensure the enactment of a new National Minimum Wage

    as we cannot guarantee Industrial peace and harmony.”

  • You are being economical with the truth, Labour tells Ngige

    Organised Labour has reacted to claims by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige that the tripartite committee on the new National minimum wage was yet to agree on a figure with Organised Labour, but was still negotiating with them.

    In a statement signed by Comrade Ayuba Wabba, Comrade Bala Bobboi Kaigama and Comrade Joe Ajaero, Organised Labour said the Minister was being economical with the truth, pointing out that the committee arrived at a figure which is to be presented to the President.

    He said the sub committee on figure chaired by the Minister presented four different figures which the committee deliberated on for several hours before agreeing on a figure.

    The statement said “Our attention has been drawn to a statement credited to the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige claiming that no amount has been agreed by the Tripartite Committee recommendation to govemment. The report Further claimed that the Minister said that government was still negotiating with Labour.

    “It is rather unfortunate and sad if Indeed, the Honourable Minister made those statements. For the avoidance of doubt, organised labour representatives Wish to state unequivocally that the Tripartite Committee concluded is work, adopted a figure through a formal motion moved, seconded and adopted In the absence of any counter motion.

    “This was after a thorough debate of a report from the subcommittee figure, chaired by Senator Ngige himself which presented four scenarios for consideration.

    Read Also: Resign now or be forced out, Coalition tells Oshiomhole

    “The subcommittee worked on the basis of a figure proposed by the Federal Government, figures proposed by a number of state government: as well as proposals submitted by the Organised Private Sector and Organised Labour.

    “The Committee formally adjourned its sitting with a decision that a date will be communicated to members for the signing of the report and submission of same to Mr President.

    Organised Labour, therefore frowns at the manipulation and bending of facts in an attempt to delay or derail the processes needed to promulgate a new National Minimum Wage. We call on the government to take immediate necessary steps to ensure the enactment of a new National Minimum Wage as we cannot guarantee Industrial peace and harmony.

  • NLC urges FG to accelerate implementation of new minimum wage

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has urged  the Federal Government (FG) to accelerate the implementation of the new minimum wage proposed by the tripartite committee on the issue.

    NLC National President, Mr Ayuba Wabba, made the call at a news briefing on Wednesday in Lafia.

    Wabba, who was in Lafia for the ground breaking of the affordable housing estate by the Federal Mortgage Bank, said the tripartite committee had already finished its assignment.

    “The committee has already completed its assignment and had to submit the reports first to federal government onward action.

    “So, we expect the FG to accelerate the process of implementation and transmit same to the National Assembly for other legislative actions,” Wabba stated.

    The NLC boss, however, commended the contributions of the private sector throughout the duration of the committee work.

    Read Also:NLC: ‘Fed Govt to announce new minimum wage soon’

    Wabba said that the union would not make the agreed amount public until all the processes were completed.

    He assured Nigerian workers that the union would not relent until success was achieved.

    Meanwhile, the Minister of Labour, Chris Ngige, has said  that no agreement has  been reached on the exact amount that should be paid to workers as new  minimum wage.

    Speaking after the Federal Executive Council meeting in Abuja, Ngige said this was because the proposals ranged from N30,000 by the organised labour to N20,000 by state governments and  N25,000 by organised private sector.

  • FG to assist ECOWAS in implementing policies

    The Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige has said that the Federal Government has pledged to support the ECOWAS Commission in the implementation of its labour and employment programmes and policies in the Region.

    Speaking when he received the ECOWAS Commissioner for Social Affairs and Gender Matters, Dr Siga Fatima Jagni in his office, the Minister said the Nigerian government will not shirk in its responsibility to the subregion, adding that the “government and people of Nigeria are an integral part of the ECOWAS, and we will not shirk our responsibilities in that direction”.

    While appreciating the efforts of the Commission in forging unity in the Region, Ngige pledged Nigeria’s continued support to the Commission in realizing its mandate. He assured that “Nigeria would support and adhere to all ECOWAS Labour Migration and Employment policies, and called for proper legalization of such policies, so that people would not be “short-changed and unduly harassed when they export their skills in the region”.

    On the election of President Muhammadu Buhari as the Chairman of the Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS, the Minister said that the Region stood to gain immeasurably, stressing, “We have a President who has zero tolerance for corruption, with a lot of credibility. So, his appointment into the ECOWAS by his colleagues is a step in the right direction”.

    Read Also: ECOWAS to tackle insecurity in Sahel

    Speaking earlier, the ECOWAS Commissioner for Social Affairs and Gender Matters, Dr Siga Fatima Jagne, said her visit was necessitated by the need to seek the support of the Minister for the implementation of labour and employment programmes and policies in the region.

    She further stated that her visit was also to specifically request the Ministry’s collaboration in organizing the forthcoming 2018 General Assembly of the Social Dialogue Forum/Meeting of ECOWAS Ministers in charge of Labour and Employment, with the theme: “Strengthening Social Dialogue for the Promotion of Decent Work in the ECOWAS region”, scheduled to hold in Abuja in December, 2018.

    Speaking further, she congratulated Nigeria on the election of President Muhammadu Buhari as the current ECOWAS Chair of Authority of the Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS.

    In his remarks, the Honourable Minister of State, Labour and Employment, Prof. Stephen Ocheni, said that Nigeria, as the centre of ECOWAS, would continue to play its leading role in the Region, particularly in economic development.