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Tag: Chris Ngige

  • We won’t accept further delay in approving minimum wage – NLC

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has asked the government not to take for granted the issue issue of a new national minimum wage for the country, saying it will not accept the continued delay in approving workers demand for N66,500 as the New National Minimum Wage.

    NLC President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba said in a statement in Abuja that it is now close to eight years since the last review of the national minimum wage took place, adding that Nigerian workers demand a Change in the humiliating culture of forcing workers to bargain too hard and wait too long for meagre increases in their salaries.

    The NLC was reacting to a statement credited to the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige that the September date for the minimum wage was just a planning time line when the Minimum wage committee is expected to concluded its assignment and submit a report to the President.

    Ngige also said when the committee concludes its assignment, it will be sent to the National Economic Council and the Federal Executive Council for approval before a bill is sent to the National Assembly to legalize it.

    But the NLC is not happy with the position of the Minister, describing it as provocative and inconsistent with the fervour so far demonstrated by the tripartite committee.

    The statement reads: “Nigerian workers are shocked by statements credited to the Minister of Labour and Employment; Dr Chris Ngige, and reported by many national media houses that Nigerian workers should wait beyond September 2018 for the New National Minimum Wage.

    “We used the word “shocked” because it was the same Minister that in February 2018 without prompting or pressure announced to the whole world that by September, 2018, the Federal Government would start paying the new national minimum wage.

    “The current volte face by the Minister of Labour is not only provocative; it is also insensitive especially in the face of the excruciating suffering being endured by Nigerian workers particularly as occasioned by the increase in the cost of living.

    Read Also: Nigerian democracy serving political class’ interests, says NLC

    “Do we need to remind the Minister that he was once a civil servant who always looked forward to his monthly salary? Nigerian workers who are not privileged to earn fat salaries, allowances, estacodes and other perks of political appointment are looking forward to enjoy minimal relief in the form of the new national minimum wage.

    “The leadership of the NLC regards the gaffe as inconsistent with the fervour so far demonstrated by the tripartite committee set up by Mr President to review the National Minimum Wage.

    “The Minister’s stance is also at variance with the declaration made by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo when he represented Mr. President at this year’s May Day Celebrations. He Yemi Osinbajo promised Nigerian workers that government is committed to ensuring that the issue of the new National Minimum Wage is concluded and delivered.

    “Our concern is “who is the Minister of Labour speaking for?” Nigerian workers want to know who has sent Dr. Chris Ngige on this nebulous errand. On whose side is the Minister of Labour on the upward review of the National Minimum Wage?

    “Our position was that we would expedite actions at the level of the tripartite committee on the minimum wage and ensure that discussions and negotiations are concluded by August 2018 so that Nigerian workers can start benefitting as quickly as possible from the New National Minimum Wage.

    “Finally, may we remind the Minister that the review of the National Minimum Wage is long overdue. The 2011 Belgore Tripartite Committee set up by government agreed that the review of the Minimum Wage should happen every five years.

    “It is now close to eight years that the last review of the national minimum wage took place. Nigerian workers demand a Change in the humiliating culture of forcing workers to bargain too hard and wait too long for meagre increases in their salaries.

    “It will be a great disservice to his boss; Mr. President, if he keeps taking for granted this very important issue of a new national minimum wage. For many Nigerian families, this is the difference between survival and extinction. The NLC, therefore, categorically rejects the continued delay in approving our demand of N66, 500 as the New National Minimum Wage.”

  • Minimum wage may not be ready by September, says Ngige

    The expectations of workers in the country getting a new national minimum wage by the end of September 2018 May not materialize after all as the government said on Tuesday that the September date was just a date to conclude negotiation on the issue of minimum wage.

    Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige told newsmen at his residence in Abuja that the committee on the new National Minimum wage is expecting to conclude its work by the end of September and present its report to the government for deliberation and approval before an executive bill is sent to the National Assembly on the issue.

    He said however that the issue of capacity to pay is also paramount in the deliberations on the minimum wage, pointing out that it was to get the input of all those concerned including state governments and the organised private sector that the committee embarked on zonal public hearing across the country.

    The Minister said further that in the course of the zonal public hearings, many state governments made different submissions ranging from N22,000 monthly to N58,000,adding that the governors were also of the believe that foe the new minimum wage to become effective, the current revenue allocation formula will have to be reviewed in favour of the states and local government.

    He said further that some other states are also of the view that the minimum wage should be maintained at the current N18,000 in view of the inability of some states to pay the current wages.

    Read Also: Ngige decries low productivity, competitiveness

    Senator Ngige said when the minimum wage committee concludes its report, it will be submitted to the National Council of State and the Federal Executive Council for approval before a bill is sent to the National Assembly to legalize the work of the committee.

    He said even though it was not an easy task, the committee was making progress in its assigned responsibility, pointing out that it was in other to carry everybody, including the states and private sector along that six governors were elected to be members of the committee as well as representatives of the organized private sector.

    On the threat non-teaching staff of universities to resume their suspended strike as a result of government failure to honour the terms of their agreement, the Minister said government was sourcing the N6 billion needed to pay them their earned allowances as contained in the agreement.

    He said his experience as Minister of Labour said him that majority of about 95 percent of agreement currently being paraded by trade unions in the country were signed before the Buhari government came into office in 2015,adding that most of such agreements had no timeline for implementation.

    He also said many of the agreement signed by the last government were not implementable because of the amount involved, adding that the principles of the International, Labour Organisation allowed employers to renegotiate agreements which they feel they cannot implement.

    He said further that what is important in all collective bargaining agreement is the ability to pay what is being demanded and what is agreed upon.

    He appealed to striking health workers to return to work while negotiations continue on their demands, pointing out that the delay in the implementation of their signed agreement was as a result of failure of the National Salaries, Wages and Income Commission to defend the two different figure presented to a government high powered committee.

    He said the committee has directed the commission and the Federal Ministry of Health to go back and recompile the figures for onward submission to the committee for deliberation.

  • Ngige decries low productivity, competitiveness

    The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, has said despite the country‘s huge  human and natural resources, it  lags behind smaller and less-endowed African countries in productivity and competitiveness.

    Ngige stated this at a briefing ahead of  the 17th National Productivity Day and National Productivity Order of Merit (NPOM) awards scheduled for  Abuja.

    The minister said for the country to achieve high productivity and competitiveness, there was the need to bridge the productivity and competitiveness gap.

    He said: “So, real competitiveness means the ability to produce goods and services that can compete in the domestic and international markets while promoting and maintaining a high living standard and quality of life for the people.

    “Therefore, only nations with organisations that have high levels of productivity will become domestically and globally competitive.

    “This has the capacity to exploit existing market opportunities to sustain and expand employment and real income growth in the long term,’’ he said.

    He said the government was conscious of the critical place of productivity in the realisation of the change agenda, saying it was against this backdrop that the Federal Government, through the National Policy on Productivity, declared that a day shall be observed as the National Productivity Day yearly.

    Ngige said the observance of the day and the conferment of the award was a positive step by the government to institutionalise productivity consciousness and excellence in service among workers and organisations in Nigeria.

    He said the award committee was an independent committee that conducted a screening, recommended 15 individuals and five organisations drawn from all sector of the economy.

    Ngige said the awardees include:  Mrs Winifred Oyo-Ita, Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Mr Sam Ohuabunwa, Dr Abdul Husseni, Farm Crowdy Nigeria Limited and Fresh Direct Nigeria.

    Also, National Productivity Centre (NPC) Director-General Kashim Akor said selection of the awardees was done by a committee set up for the purpose of the nomination.

  • Obey court order and return to work, Ngige tells striking Health Workers

    Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige has appealed to striking members of the Joint Health Sector Union (JOHESU) to obey the order of the National Industrial Court directing the five Health unions to call off the ongoing strike within 24 hours and return to negotiation.

    The unions, Medical & Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwifes (NANNM),  Non Academic Staff Union (NASU), Nigerian Union of Allied Health Professional, Senior Staff Association of University Teaching Hospital Research Institutes and Associated Institutions have been on strike for over one month as a result of government failure to honour its agreement eight months after signing such agreement.

    The National Industrial Court has ordered the unions back to work with immediate effect, but the unions said they have not been served with any court judgement directing it to return to work.

    The Minister said information from field officers of the Ministry of Labour and Employment indicate that the unions were yet to comply with the court order, saying “Information from our various field officers indicate that JOHESU is yet to obey the order of the National Industrial Court which directed it to call off strike within 24 hours and return to negotiation with effect from 17th May 2018.

    Read Also: 2019: Buhari deserves re-election – Ngige

    “It is important to remind all of us that Nigeria is a constitutional democracy with all rights and freedom fully protected under the rule of law. Therefore, disobedience to court orders is an anarchic resort to self-help which will neither benefit the unions nor the nation at large. Orders of court no matter how adverse must be obeyed until set aside.

    “I hereby appeal to the leaders and members of JOHESU to comply with this order and direct their members nationwide to return to duties immediately.  This is in view of the imperative of the rule of law as well as give and take upon which every fruitful social dialogue is anchored.”

    The Minister further noted that a high level Federal Government body has been meeting on daily basis since the commencement of the strike to find an amicable resolution of the contending issues, majorly, the review of the CONHESS Salary level for the five unions.

    “I therefore wish to inform the leadership of JOHESU that their primary employers, the Federal Ministry of Health, other members of the Federal Government Negotiating Team and my Ministry as the Chief Conciliator are ready for the prompt resumption of negotiations as well as speedy resolution of this trade dispute.”

    The Minister recalled that he signified his intention to refer the matter to the National Industrial Court during the last Wednesday, May 16th  2018 negotiation but was prevailed against, not knowing that other concerned Nigerians had already gone to court before the Ministry could send its referral instrument to that court.

    The Minster also Informed that Government was still open to negotiation, as such, JOHESU should avail itself of this window and not push government to take decisions that will erode all her gains in making workers happy since the coming in of the Muhammadu Buhari administration

  • Nigeria lags behind in productivity – Ngige

    As Oyo-Ita bags productivity merit award

     

    Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige said on Thursday that Nigeria was lagging behind smaller and less endowed African countries in productivity measurement and competitiveness despite the abundant human and natural resources the country is blessed with.

    The Minister who spoke while briefing the media on plans for the 2018 National Productivity Day celebration announced that the Head of Service of the Federation, Mrs. Winifred Ohio-Ita and 14 other Nigerians are to be honoured along side five companies with the National Productivity Order of Merit award by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    Ngige said “Nigeria is abundantly blessed in human and natural resources, but unfortunately lags behind smaller or even less endowed African countries in productivity and competitiveness”, adding that in other to achieve high productivity and competitiveness, Nigeria’s productivity and competitiveness gap need to be closed.

    The Minister said that the government is conscious of the critical place of productivity in the realization of the change agenda as no nation can be self reliant and competitive in the international market without productivity improvement in all sectors of the economy.

    According to him, Indeed, no nation enjoys a standard of living higher than its level of productivity, adding that “since this administration cam on Board in 2015, the country has been witnessing an ambitious reform agenda, focusing on the economy, security and anti corruption. These series of reforms are encapsulated in our Economic Recovery and Growth Plan. It is a calculated effort to Change the way things were done and give the country a new sense of direction.

    “The plan which is timely and articulated as an accessible framework of positive change focuses on three strategic objectives of restoring growth, investing in our people and building a competitive economy.

    “Productivity is indeed the most important determinant of socio economic growth, wealth creation, employment generation and overall improved standard of living. Giving this cardinal role of productivity, it is imperative that the citizenry be consistently reminded of the need for developing a productive mindset that would ensure the productive growth of all sectors of the economy.

    “The objective include institutionalising productivity consciousness and excellence in service among workers and organizations in both public and private sectors in Nigeria, emphasising hard work, high performance, efficiency, discipline, dedication, humility and patriotism.

    “It also include ensuring high level of effectiveness and efficiency in the implementation of policies and programmers of various public services, encouraging and fostering the spirit of competitiveness amongst workers, firms and companies in Nigeria among others.

    “A competitive economy is characterized by rapid manufacturing of goods and export growth combined wit( sustained technological upgrading and diversification, virile institutions, adequate infrastructure, stable macroeconomic environment, high level of education and training, Labour market efficiency, financial market development, technological readiness, business sophistication and innovation.”

    Those to be honored alonside the Head of Service of the Federation are Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa, Dr. Abdul Hussein, Mrs. Mary Joshua Gadi, Engr. Umar Baba Bindir, Hon. Al-Amin Umana Lawan, Engr, Anebi Joseph Garba, David James Lalu, Dr. Jones Yerinbuluemi Stow, Clement Chukwu Nwogbo, David Iheanyi Onyemata, Dr. Tina Aduke Olayemi, Victor Folasele Olajorin, Somade Taofeel Osuolale and Engr. Dozie Mbanefo.

    The companies to be honored are Farm Crowdy Nigeria Limited, Fresh Direct Nigeria, May and Baker Nigeria Plc, Alo Aluminium Manufacturing company and Seven Up Bottling company.

  • Buhari committed to enhanced workers Welfare, says Ngige

    Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige has said that President Muhammadu Buhari was unequivocally committed to the enhancement of workers’ welfare and prosperity for all citizens, and appealed to workers to continue to support the government in this regard.

    He assured Nigerian workers that there were better days coming ahead for them.

    In his goodwill message to the Nigerian workers on this year’s Workers’ Day, the Minister recalled the historic role of the nation’s workforce across decades and urged it to further stand firm with President Muhammadu Buhari as he returns Nigeria to greatness.

    The Minister said “the cardinal objective of the present administration is the revival of the economy; enhancement of the security of the nation and zero tolerance for corruption. The Federal Government has so far covered a considerable millage notwithstanding teething challenges. I therefore solicit your continued support towards bringing these national goals to fruition.”

    The Minister urged workers to use the occasion of the May Day celebration to reminisce on the positive outcomes of the labour’s struggle for a better working rights and decent work environment. 

    “This is an administration that places a lot of premium on the welfare of workers and all citizenry and has done so in very transparent manner. Our openness is to provide enough window for all Nigerians to appreciate the state of the nation and the efforts of the government.

    “Our modest achievement in creating equable condition for job security and improved welfare for workers, as evident in the fact that no Federal civil or public servant has lost his or her job in the last three years of the administration despite economic downturn, as well as the on-going effort to give effect to a new national minimum wage easily bear out Federal Government’s commitment to the upliftment of the workforce.

     “This year’s celebration therefore presents an opportunity for a collective reflection on the contributions of the labour movement to national growth on the one hand and the steadfastness of the Buhari administration to the welfare of workers on the other.”

  • Minimum wage not uniform wage for Nigerian workers – Ngige

    The Federal Government has laid to rest fears by employers of Labour and various state governments that the idea of the minimum wage was to impose on them a uniform pay package for workers in both the public and private sector of the Nigeria Economy.

    Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige who spoke at the Public hearing on the new minimum foe the south south geopolitical zone in Port Harcourt said the fears was unfounded as it was not meant to impose uniform wages on the states.

    A statement from the Director of Press in the Ministry, Samuel Olowokoore quote the Minister as saying that agitations by a section of the Labour Tripartite Stakeholders that a uniform Minimum Wage in the federation is at variance with the tenets of federalism should arise.

    Sen. Ngige said Minimum Wage being a Federal law as contained in section 34 of the Constitution, “means a price floor below which workers may not yield their labour. Above that floor, any state can pay as higher as its resource capacity accommodates.

    “The intendment of the minimum wage therefore is not about uniformity to hold back rich states or members of the private sector who have resources to pay higher from doing so but to set a national base below which the reward for labour in terms of wages would be inequable, indecent and slavish, hence illegal and unacceptable.

    “The intendment is to set an irreducible minimum that can guarantee opportunities for work to earn a fair income; security in the workplace and social protection for workers and their families”.

    The Minister emphasized that the life of a worker and employers especially those in the private sector was intrinsically interwoven with the development of the nation, hence the importance the Federal government attached to interacting directly with workers all over the federation, so as to fully accommodate their aspirations for decent work in the new Minimum Wage.

    He said the committee decided to embark on nationwide public hearing to give workers a say in the wage fixing machinery of the country.

    “Today, in the spirit of give and take, workers and employers, both private and public sectors are all seated side by side to give credence to the maxim that there is no employer without workers and no workers without employers. The aim is to ensure that a new Minimum Wage can assure the attainment of a social Protection Floor for Nigerian citizens in such a manner that workers have access to food, shelter and essential healthcare”, he said.

    He urged workers to utilize the opportunity provided by the public hearing taking place in all the geo-political zones to make necessary input into the work of the Tripartite National Minimum Wage Committee set up by President Muhammadu Buhari.

    While commending the government for initiating the wage review in order to uplift the living condition of the nation’s labour force, Governor of Rivers State, Chief Nyesom Wike said there was a great injustice in a nation where workers labour to sustain the nation only to go home in poverty.

    Wike however frowned at the Minimum Wage for the entire country and insisted that every state should be allowed to decide what minimum to pay its workers.

  • Buhari warns truck drivers against highway parking

    …..rolls-out sanction for offenders

    President Muhammadu Buhari has warned truck drivers to stay away from roadside parking on Federal highways and establish private parking lots to avoid congestion and ease vehicular mobility across the country.

    The President gave the warning at a public enlightenment forum, organized by the Federal Ministry of Power, Works and Housing (FMPWH), on Monday in Abuja.

    The event was organized by the ministry to orientate the public and other stakeholders on recent developments in the road sector such as weigh bridges, road signage and return of the toll gates among others.

    Buhari said this became imperative to ensure huge investments in the road sector; especially capital projects raised from 15 per cent to 30 per cent achieve desired impacts as well as prevent overloading of heavy duty vehicles.

    He acknowledged the importance of good roads to achieving the economic recovery growth plan.

    His words: “The eradication of overloading on our highways will promote competitiveness in business and reduce high maintenance cost of heavy duty vehicles. I implore all vehicle fleet operators and tanker drivers to stop parking their vehicles on the federal highways, as these often causes roads to be congested and gridlocks.

    “The highways should be free at all times for safe and confortable movement of vehicles. Fleet owners should endeavor to create private parking lots for their fleets at designated locations.”

    The President emphasized that the federal government is increasing investments and resuscitating the rail sector to reduce stress on the federal road networks.

    Speaking on the restriction on weights and axle load of heavy duty goods vehicles, the President noted that the approval was to increase lifespan of the federal road networks. He noted that the new regulation is also applicable within the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) sub-region.

    The President, who was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Alhaji Boss Mustapha, urged the stakeholders to contribute meaningfully to enhance implementation of the existing policies and complement of other sectors.

    Earlier, the Minister, FMPWH, Babatunde Fashola lauded importance of the road projects to improving socio-economic development of the people and optimizing inherent opportunities.

    He cited instance of the Trans-Sahara highway project connecting Nigeria to Chad, Niger Republic, Tunisia, Mali and Algeria; the Lagos-Abidjan highway which runs through the Benin Republic, Togo and Ghana and the road project connecting the country to Cameroun, from Enugu through Abakaliki, Ogoja, Ikot and Ifun.

    He said the existing treaty obligations on permitted weights and axle load of heavy duty goods is such that should be obeyed.

    According to him, the treaty within the West African sub region regulates, “the amount of loads any goods vehicle can put on an axle and by extension, the amount of loads that is put on road pavement within ECOWAS region and beyond.”

    “Our compliance with this regulation will open a massive door of opportunity and prosperity of cross border trade to Nigerians who are engaged in road transport business.”

    The Minister of Labour and Productivity, Dr. Chris Ngige, in his remarks expressed excitements over the road projects stressing that it would reduce the rate of strike actions from labour unions. He decried poor inclusive planning by previous administrations.

    Director of Highway, FMPWH, Engr. Chukwunike Uzor, explained need for truck drivers to maintain the permissible axle load for their vehicles.

    “The maximum tons for six axles vehicle is 51 tons. For the normal six axles is 18 tons. So we are not only worried about the total weight of what you are carrying but you have ensure you distribute it well,” he said.

    At the weigh bridges station, he explained that the excess goods will be offloaded while the offender pays fine of 1 million above the legal limit.

    “It graduates like that to the maximum fine of about 10 million. So I don’t know what you are carrying that if they fine you 10 million, you will still make a profit. We are not doing it to make revenue for government but to make the infrastructure last,” he added.

  • FG to source N8bn to settle SSANU, NASU, NAAT

    The Federal Government says it will source for eight billion naira within five weeks to pay the Joint Action Committee ( JAC ) of the Non-Academic Staff Union of Nigerian Universities ( NASU ).

    Sen. Chris Ngige, Minister of Labour and Employment, said this at a resolution reached at a conciliation meeting with the Non-Academic Staff Union of Nigerian Universities in Abuja.

    The Non-Academic staff Union of Nigerian are made of the Non Academic Staff Union of Nigerian Universities ( NASU ), Senior Staff Academic of Nigerian Universities ( SSANU ), National Association of Academic Technologists, ( NAAT ).

    The resolution was jointly signed by Ngige, NAAT President, Mr Sani Suleiman, NASU General Secretary, Mr Peters Adeyemi , SSANU President Mr Samson Ugwoke and Prof. Anthony Anwukah, Minister of State for Education.

    Ngige also said that part of the eight billion would also be used to pay members of the Academic Staff Universities ( ASUU ), University of Nigeria, Nsukka ( UNN ), and the University of llorin ( UNILORIN ), who were not paid at the last disbursement.

    He also said that the National Salaries Income and Wages Commission was to rework the Dec. 15 Call Circular on University Staff Schools.

    “This is taking into consideration the observations of JAC of NAAT, NASU and SSANU with a view to ensuring that it complies with the National Industrial Court ( NIC ) judgment.

    Ngige also said that the Federal Ministry of Education reported that the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation has started payment of salary shortfalls, adding that the process was still ongoing.

    He said Ministry of Education was to synergise with the concerned institutions to ensure compliance with Presidential Initiative on Continuous Audit ( PICA ) requirements to facilitate payments of JAC members in the universities that are yet to comply.

    The minister, however, said on the issue of the non-implementation of CONTISS 14 and 15 for technologists, the Ministry of Education has made submissions to the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.

    He said that the submission was for onward transmission to the National Council on Establishment ( NEC ) meeting slated for March 18, in Owerri, adding that the Ministry of Education is expected to report the outcome in five weeks.

    Ngige also said the Ministry of Education had put forward an application for the visitation panel to the presidency and that the main trust of the visitation was to re-energise the institution, unearth corruption, among others.

    He said that it was also agreed that the Ministry of Education would set in motion appropriate machinery for the release of White Paper in respect of the previous visitation panel already with government.

    He also added that no worker would be victimised on account of the industrial action.

    Ngige said that government and JAC leadership have agreed that the ongoing strike would be suspended by March 14, after due consultation with their National Executive Councils ( NECs ).

    NAN

  • NLC vows to resist attempt to slowdown review of minimum wage

    NLC vows to resist attempt to slowdown review of minimum wage

    The Nigeria Labour Congress ( NLC ) on Monday vowed to  resist any attempt to slowdown the review of the National Minimum wage.

    Mr Ayuba Wabba, NLC President said this at the 40th Anniversary of the Congress in Abuja with the theme: “Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow, National Unity and Social Justice”.

    Wabba said the N18, 000 minimum wage was borne out of the current reality of the high cost living, free fall of naira and the high cost of goods and service and it was long overdue.

    According to him, let us use this medium to serve notice to those who seek to slow down or frustrate the process of review that they will be resisted in like manner as our predecessors did.

    “We are prepared to deal with employers, especially governors who deny workers and pensioners their salaries and pension.

    “Workers and their families would not give them any further political support, especially their votes,” he warned.

    He noted that the Nigerian workers and other citizens had suffered from increase taxation, retrenchment from public and private sectors, non payment of salaries, gratuities and pension.

    He also said that the cost of living, transportation has increased, saying that the government has refused to honour and implement the bargain agreement.

    The NLC president said that the union has continued to use its platform to demand for a fair, just, equitable and workable political system for the Nigerian workers.

    Wabba, while speaking on the anniversary, said NLC would use the occasion to engage in self–examination of the past, present and also try to project into the future.

    “We need to celebrate our modest achievements and learn from our mistakes.

    “We need to know if we have adhered to or deviated from the fundamental principles of our organisation.

    “In celebrating these achievements, we need to think of ways of reinvigorating, revitalizing and transforming the organisation to a formidable worker organisation can stand the test of time,’’ he said.

    Also, Sen. Chris Ngige, Minister of Labour and Employment said the Federal Government has assured workers in the country that they would begin to enjoy ‎the new minimum wage by the third quarter of 2018.

    Ngige said third quarter was the minimum time for the implementation of the new wage.

    “In furtherance to the determination by the Federal Government to attain the decent work agenda, which involves opportunities for work that are productive and deliver a fair income,

    “Security in the workplace, and social protection for families; there have been overtime three minimum wage reviews and currently the tripartite committee of National Minimum Wageis set to review the current minimum wage.

    “Memoranda ‎are being received from relevant bodies and persons to enable the determination of the minimum wage for the nation, so by the third quarter, a new minimum wage would be announced for the country,” he said.

    NAN