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Tag: National Minimum Wage

  • Minimum wage: Adamawa will pay N30, 000- Bindow

    Adamawa State Governor Umar Bindow has assured the state will implement the N30, 000 agreed by the tripartite committee on the new National minimum wage.

    The governor told The Nation in an interview in Yola, the state capital, that whatever is agreed upon by the federal government will be implemented by the state without any reservation.

    He declared he was of the firm belief workers deserve their wages.

    Bindow, who insisted payment of salaries was not an achievement any government or employers should be parading, said despite the lean resources of the state, his government has kept faith with regular payment of salaries to workers, including payment of arrears of salaries inherited from previous government.

    He said: “When we came in, there was nothing. Even mere salary of worked in the state was not paid.

    “There was about seven months arrears that the former governor refused to pay.

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    “But I have been able to offset the arrears with about N5 billion because this state is a civil service state.

    “They say, yes I am laying infrastructure but they also want their stomach infrastructure by way of salaries taken care of too and of course people must eat.

    “If there is any country or state that cannot pay salaries, that country or state is a failed state because personally, paying salaries is not a yardstick for performance.

    “It is compulsory that you pay people because they are working. So, it is not a developmental yardstick.

    “You cannot say because this governor is paying salaries, then he has performed.”

    On the position of some governors that N30, 000 is unaffordable, Bindow said: “As far as we are concerned in Adamawa, whatever the federal government agrees to, we also agree to pay. I cannot do otherwise.”

    Speaking on his relationship with Labour in the state, the governor said: “Whatever I do, I carry everybody along. Whatever I do in the state, even if it does not affect them, I call them in and they see how I do things.

    “I have been paying their salaries and don‘t have problem with them. I am always with them and whenever they invite me, I am always there for them.”

  • Al-Makura ready to implement new minimum wage

    Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura of Nasarawa state has stated his administration’s resolve to implement any amount arrived at as new minimum wage for workers.

    Al-Makura made this known on Thursday while swearing-in eleven newly appointed commissioners and the Director General of Nasarawa Geographic Information Service (NAGIS).

    He said: “This was predicated upon the conviction that if our mandate, encapsulated in our policies and programmes, is to serve the people, then the public servant who is the nerve centre of policy implementation must be given his dues”.

    “In this regard, as we are awaiting the final decision on the review of the National Minimum Wage, I assure our workers that we will be among the first States to implement any decision reached by the Federal Government”.

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    In addition, the governor said he has directed for the implementation of the promotion of deserving workers in the State, stressing that, ‘It is my belief that this is a formidable way of strengthening the machinery of government for optimal productivity”.

    Similarly, the governor has lifted ban on employment in the state after several years.

    His words: “In our resolve to expand the frontiers of policy implementation, also, we have lifted the ban on employment”.

    “In this regard, we have demonstrated our commitment to reinvigorate the Service in the recent employment of teachers into our public schools in the State.  I, therefore, encourage eligible citizens to apply for vacant positions in the Civil Service”.

    Governor Al-Makura has also approved the appointment of the Director General, Nasarawa State Market Management Bureau in an effort to optimize the operations and regulation of markets development across the State.

    “Accordingly, Government hereby directs that all new markets particularly those in Lafia, Karu, Akwanga and Keffi most commence operations before the end of the year.

  • Foreign airlines may operate flights during strike

    There are  indications that foreign airlines operating into the country may not  be adversely affected over the  planned shutting of the Nigerian airspace by aviation unions during the proposed strike over agitation for National Minimum Wage.

    Investigations by The Nation revealed that in line with the terms of bilateral air services agreement, Nigeria signed with other countries, foreign carriers are not supposed to be affected by such development.

    This is coming as  aviation unions said on Monday that  domestic operators and other business organizations in the industry  would be affected by the action.

    The union said its affiliate members of labour centres have been communicated to  comply with the  directives.

    Speaking with our correspondent on phone, Comrade Illitrus Ahmadu, President of Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN) said aviation   unions would obey the directive of the labour centres and shut down the airspace.

    He, however, said  industry unions were not unmindful of existing Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) arrangements Nigeria had with foreign countries whose airlines operate into the country, stressing that the issue at hand was a domestic one, which should not be allowed to affect international airlines.

    He said  during the fuel pump price hike of January 2012, the unions allowed international airline operators to reschedule their flights from 6am to 6pm,

    Ahmadu  unions  allowed international carriers to operate into the country in the past because some Nigerians caught in the web  travelled into the country for holidays and needed to return to their respective countries to resume work, even as  some were equally travelling for  scheduled medical appointment.

    He said: “The fact is that we are affiliated to labour centres and we are under obligation to comply with directives. So, from the strike notice issued so far, we are to shut down by mid-night of today. However, as we speak, the tripartite discussions have resumed; they are in a meeting and our hope is that something good will come out of the meeting so that we will no longer embark on the strike.

    “You know, we are in a very volatile industry. This is our own national problem; we have several bilateral agreements with most foreign nations that their airlines fly into Nigeria. It is our domestic problem. We should not allow it to adversely affect the fortunes of the international operators. We have offered a corridor where we will accommodate them. The major shut down we have had in this industry so far was during the price hike of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

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    “You will recall then that in line with our respect for international obligations, we allowed a dispensation wherein the foreign airlines were advised to reschedule their schedules so that they can fly in within 6pm and 6am the following day. We are looking at that.

    “We hope the discussions will go on well so that we will not have to go with the plan. We empathize with the industry; however, they must see where we stand that we are under obligations to comply with the directives of trade centres. We are monitoring, waiting and as soon as information comes, we will issue appropriate notices if there is a change of direction as regards area of notice.

    “We should be able to reconcile our problem without adversely affecting the international carriers that we have BASAs with. We wish we could extend the same dispensation to the local industry, however, we have sat down in the past and we have argued this out.”

  • Labour to Ngige: You are economical with the truth

    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 subcommittee 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 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 governments: 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.”

  • Ebonyi Labour joins Nationwide strike

    Organised Labour in Ebonyi State on Wednesday night said it was joining the Nationwide strike called by the national leadership for Thursday.

    Briefing journalists in Abakaliki, the state capital, Chairman of Nigerian Labour Congress in Ebonyi, Leornard Nkah and the Trade Union Congress Chairman, Mike Nwonu said they were in agreement with their national leadership over the issue.

    “Labour in Ebonyi state is in tandem with the organized labour of National Secretariat of NLC  and TUC and by midnight we will send our bulletin. Throughout tomorrow, we will be sending our bulletin”.

    “We have given directives to various unions to mobilize their members for the strike action. The industrial action is to put pressure on the government towards the agreement reached on the National Minimum wage for workers in the country”

    “So, we are in an agreement with the National leadership directive for the industrial action and it will be effective in the state because workers have always crave for enhance salary package”

    “We will join the industrial action; we will ensure we follow it up. We will also ensure that the agreement reached in Abuja will be implemented here in the state”.

    “Our Governor has said it in many fora including today’s meeting with us that he will pay whatever salary structure reached in the agreement over new National Minimum wage”

    Adding his voice, Mr Nwonu said the strike will be total in the state.

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    “It will be total strike because we must submit to our National leadership. We received signal from our National leadership; NLC and TUC and today after our meeting, we have resolved to join our colleagues across the country by joining the strike action of which our bulletin is ready for circulation”.

    “We have also informed other affiliate unions for necessary action and we are to monitor it with every machinery”.

    Earlier, Governor David Umahi had met with the Leaders of the Unions in the state where he said that he will not oppose their joining strike action.

    The governor however urged the workers to be peaceful while embarking on the exercise.

    The governor disclosed that the state government has raked in over N3b from fix deposit accruing sine his administration came on board.

    He said the state policy under his watch had made it a policy that any government money that is staying in the bank beyond 24 hours must be fixed.

    He said over N2.9b of one of the ranches of the Paris Club had been given to the local government staff for salary and other entitlements.

    He noted that the past administration in the state could dd not pay pension and gratuities from 2006 till 2015.

    Governor Umahi lamented that past administration in the state could not give any account of the money recieved from the Paris Club refunds.

    “We wrote to the past administration to tell us how they spent the refund which made Ebonyi indebted to the tune of $500m, they didn’t reply and we decided to let the sleeping dog lie”

    Umahi also disclosed that UBEC counterpart funds were not paid by the previous administration, and maintained that his administration came under severe debt in the acruals from the Paris Club refunds.

    Umahi also disclosed that UBEC counterpart funds were not paid by the previous administration, and maintained that his administration came under severe debt in the acruals from the Paris Club refunds.

  • Committee on minimum wage yet to agree only on figure – NLC

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) says the Committee on National Minimum Wage is yet to agree only on a figure for the new minimum wage for the Nigerian workers.

    Mr Ayuba Wabba, NLC president said this while fielding questions from newsmen on Monday in Abuja.

    According to him, at that meeting, we were able to complete the entire report.

    “However, just before we conclude, the Minister of Labour spoke at that occasion as a representative of the Federal Government, saying the they needed to go and consult before arriving at a figure.

    “We felt that since this committee was inaugurated in November and everybody was aware that all stakeholders needed to tidy up whatever consultations they needed to do and make sure that we are able to work within that timeline.

    “Clearly speaking, they were not prepared to produce a figure by that date. But our report has been completed. What is left is just to agree on a particular figure as minimum wage.

    “All the parameters to be used to arrive at a figure are there. I can say clearly that states have sent in memorandums.

    “In fact, 21 states sent in memorandums, with about 12 quoting figures, NECA has submitted a figure, organised labour has submitted a figure.

    “With this new development, they are saying that they want to consult, we could say that it is not a fair process if somebody is saying at this point that he has not consulted,” he said.

    Wabba noted that the organised labour, would meet formally and issue a formal statement, and also see how they would ensure that the interest of Nigerian worker was not in any way undermined.

    According to him, this is where we are and we think that it is proper that we put the fact before our members.

    “Labour leaders have already called for our organ meetings where we will brief our members.

    “Already, it is in public domain that both the government and labour agreed that the timeline must be respected and they were saying that September is not feasible.

    “We are committed to respecting the timeline and that is why we left everything we are doing to do the needful to be able to do a good job.

    “”All the parameters you can think of have been considered and the report is ready. But the only thing missing is the issue of the figure.”

    The NLC president also recalled that individual states had quoted figures and every state was given the opportunity to make its own presentation.

    He also noted that a letter was written to every state by the secretariat to send in their memo, making their inputs and 21 of them actually made inputs.

    “You are aware of the figures quoted by organised labour. We have enough data to do justice to the work and we have actually done justice to the work. I am telling you that this is what has happened.

    “So there was enough time for everybody to make input. This should have been consummated but some people are saying they need time for consultation.

    “”We thought that should not have been the situation, because of the importance of the issue to Nigerian workers; and the workers can also not continue to be patient,” he said.(NAN)

  • Minimum wage may not be ready by Sept, 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.

    Read Also:Minimum wage increase on table, says Oyo-Ita

    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.

    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 organised 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.

  • Minimum wage fireworks begins Thursday with public hearing

    Fireworks between government, Labour and employers of Labour in the private sector will begin in Thursday a different centres across the country on a new national minimum wage for Nigerian workers both in the public and private sector.

    For the first time since 1981 when the first national minimum wage act was enacted prescribing a wage of N125, Nigerian workers ad other stakeholders will be given the opportunity at a public hearing to make their own input.

    Thus, a public hearing has been organised by the tripartite committee at eight different centres across the country. The Director in charge of media in the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Samuel Olowokoore said in a statement the public hearing is organised to ensure wilder consultation and ensure stakeholders participation in the review of the National Minimum wage.

    The public hearing will take place in six zonal centres of Enugu, Port-Harcourt, Ibadan, Gombe, Kaduna, Lokoja as well as the cities of Abuja and Lagos which has been designated as special centres beginning from Thursday, 26th to 27th April 2018.

    The statement ask Interested members of the public who wish to present memorandum to bring copies to the various venues of the public hearing.

    The committee which has Ms Amal Pepple as the Chairman, and Sen. Chris Ngige, Hon. Minister of Labour and Employment as the Deputy Chairman comprises of members drawn from the Federal and State Government, the organized labour and Private sectors Employers Association.

    In its memorandum to the committee, organised Labour is asking the government and employers of Labour to up the minimum wage pf the Nigerian worker to N66,500 for the least paid Nigerian worker. In the presentation jointly authored by the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress, cited international provisions guiding the civil duct of minimum wage to back their stand.

    Conscious of argument by a section of Nigerians in losing the All Progressives Congress ( APC ) that minimum wage should not be centrally fixed, Labour claimed that discussing and fixing minimum wage centrally “will go a long way to satisfy the ILO provision on minimum wage which stipulates that minimum wage fixing should constitute element in a policy deserved to overcome poverty and to ensure the satisfaction of the needs of all workers and their families.”

    According to them, “Article 3 of the ILO Minimum Wage convention 1970 (no 131) with specific reference to developing countries, the element to be taken into consideration in determining the level of minimum wage shall, so far as possible and appropriate in relation to national practice and conditions include (a) the need of workers and their families, taking into account the genera, level of wages in the country, the cost of living, social security benefits’ and the relative living standards of other social groups; (b) economic factors, including the requirements of desirability of attaining and maintaining a high level of employment.

    “No 135 of the same convention says “minimum wage rates should be adjusted from time to time to take account of changes in the living and other economic conditions. To this end, a review might be carried out of minimum wage rates in relation to the cost of living and other economic conditions either at regular intervals or whenever such a review is considered appropriate in the light of variations in the cost of living index.”

    It was gathered that organised Labour has directed all state councils of both the NLC and TUC to massively mobilize their members to participate in the public hearing, saying “Each state council and pensions union will be given opportunity to present the joint Labour prepared memorandum which will be sent to each state by the secretariat shortly. The host state councils are to mobilize at least 200 workers and Complimentry press coverage.”

    The joint memorandum from organised Labour which The Nation cited tried to justify the slight increase in their demand from N56,000 to N66,500. It said “to determine the appropriate level of minimum wage in the country today, four approaches have been adopted. The first approach is based on a comparative analysis of Nigeria’s minimum wage with prevailing minimum wage in a number of other African countries.

    The second approach is based on an estimate of the monthly cost of providing basic need to a family of six. The third measure is based on estimates of a living wage for Nigeria (Lagos state) produced by an independent study. The fourth approach is based on adjusting the minimum wage for the underlying increase in the cost of living over time.

    “Irrespective of the current economic situation, the argument can be made that the Nigerian minimum wage should not fall below the average minimum wage in Africa. The argument is usually made that because different countries have differing costs of living, a straight comparison of wages is like comparing oranges and apples. To avoid this problem, the wages need to be adjusted for difference in the cost of living. The accepted practice is tsk use Purchasing Power Parity indices to adjust the wages.”

    Labour argued that “the emerging best practices globally is to base the minimum wage on the concept of living wage, rather than basic need which most times leaves the worker in poverty”, adding that “it is instructive to note that Ghana has recently adopted the framework of the living age approach in computing her minimum wage”.

    It argue that independent study of the wage indicator foundation of living wage levels in Nigeria came out with a range of N58,500 as N87,90 for a picas family, stressing that “taking the mi point of this range, e representative living wage should be N73,200 per month”

    In a recent interview with The Nation, President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Ayuba Wabba said organised Labour considered the current realities in the country, certain variables and current inflation in the country to make an upward review of its demand.

    He said that the new submission from Labour was not different from the initial submission, saying “we made a demand almost two years ago and that demand was the beginning of the process. The demand of Labour was based on the agreement we had  on the five year circle which we believe was due and also considering the level off  inflation, we made a demand of N56,000.

    At the tripartite level, after the committee was constituted by Mr. President, all state governors and employers of Labour, including the private sector and organised Labour were requested to resubmit their memorandum to the committee for discussion to commence.”

    He disclosed that some “states have submitted their own memorandum, the federal government have submitted their own and NECA have submitted theirs. Jointly, Labour has resubmitted their own memo. But what we did was to look at the dynamics of the times because the discussion will be evidence based. So, we undertook a study and made a submission. This is the logic and not that we have submitted a new position.

    It was the same memo that we submitted, but what what we did was to look at the indices because a lot have changed between 2015 and 2018. So that cannot be regarded as a change of position because the process of arriving at a minimum wage in line with convention 121 is evidence based. Everybody submitting memo or document will have to back it up with logic and not just quote figures from the air.

    “If due to inflation, there has been minor changes, we thought that should be done because we felt that is what the opportunity is meant for. That document has been submitted and not a new document. It is just that we felt that there are new Variables which we felt should be strengthened.

    Every variable that is supposed to be considered for a discussion on the new minimum wage has been considered. We looked at the current realities to present a very robust position especially inflation. They are variables that are outside our control which you mu use. Clearly, what I want to inform you about is that we are committed to what we have. Yes, we have changed the variables, but the principles and the logic has not changed. Every other Organisation will do same.

    “Even at the tripartite level, every memo is presented by the Organisation which will be made public during the public hearing at different location across the country and each states is expected to make their presentation.

    Some states have made their presentations to us which. We felt is reasonable. For now, NECA, Labour and states have made their presentation and they are already being considered.

    The public hearing will begin on the 23rd of April across the six geopolitical zones and states within each zone will converge at the venue and organised Labour in the zones will also make presentations. We have give Lagos and Abuja an additional space. We have received notices to tidy up the process of public hearing.”

  • 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

  • Buhari inaugurates minimum wage panel

    Buhari inaugurates minimum wage panel

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday inaugurated the Tripartite National Minimum Wage Committee at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    Noting that the last minimum wage instrument has expired, the President said the government’s move now is to ensure a fair and decent living wage for Nigerian workers.

    READ ALSO: NLC advises FG’s committee on minimum wage

    He said: “You are all aware that during the period following the increase in Petrol Pump Price in May 2016, a Technical Committee was established to examine and make recommendations to government on the measures to be adopted to cushion the envisaged painful effects of the increase on workers and the Nigerian populace at large.

    “During the deliberations of the Technical Committee which comprised government and organized labour, the need for the review of the national minimum wage was highlighted and recommendation to set up a committee to look into the level of minimum wage was made accordingly. I am glad that the recommendation is being acted upon today and we can all acknowledge that this is in line with our democratic process. I wish to thank all those who participated in that exercise.”

    He stressed that the scope of the membership of the new national minimum wage committee showed that it encompassed all stakeholders.

    The President also hoped that the outcome of the deliberations of the Committee would be consensual and generally acceptable.

    He urged the members to amicably consider the issue of a national minimum wage and all matters that are ancillary to it with thoroughness and concern not only for the welfare of the work-force but the effect on the country’s economy.

    Buhari added: “The subject of a National Minimum Wage for the Federation is within the Exclusive Legislative List of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended). Accordingly, we should aim to go above the basic Social Protection Floor for all Nigerian workers based on the ability of each tier of government to pay.

    “I say this because minimum wage is the minimum amount of compensation an employee must receive for putting in his or  her labour and as such should be anchored on Social Justice and Equity.

    “Government’s decision after considering your final recommendation will be sent as an Executive Bill to the National Assembly for it to undergo appropriate legislative scrutiny before passage into law.

    “As is evident by the membership of the Committee, state governors and private sector employers are part of this process. This will ensure ease of implementation of a new minimum wage nationwide.

    “I am hopeful that the principles of full consultation with Social Partners and their direct participation would be utilized by the Committee, bearing in mind the core provisions of the International Labour Organisation Minimum Wage Fixing Convention No. 131 and Minimum Wage Fixing Machinery Convention No.26 (ratified by Nigeria).

    “Accordingly, conditions of genuine Social Dialogue should prevail in the spirit of Tripartism and Collective Bargaining Agreements. I therefore enjoin you all to collectively bargain in good faith, have mutual recognition for each other and always in a spirit of give and take.

    “The Committee is expected to complete its deliberations and submit its report and recommendations as soon as possible to enable other requisite machinery to be set in motion for implementation of a new national minimum wage.”

    According to a statement signed by the deputy director (Press) at the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Samuel Olowokere, former head of service of the federation, Ama Pepple, is to chair the Tripartite National Minimum Wage Committee

    The federal government team will be led by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige,  who is deputy chairman, while  the Chairman, National Salaries, Income  and Wages Commission, Chief Richard Egbule,  will serve as Secretary.

    Others in the federal government team are the Minister of Budget and  Planning, Udo Udo Udoma;  Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun; Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Winifred Oyo-Ita  and Permanent Secretary, General Services Office, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Dr. Roy Ugo.

    A team from the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) includes Osun State governor, Rauf Aregbesola (South West), Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha (South East), Gombe State governor, Hassan Dankwambo (North East), Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike  (South -South) and Plateau State governor, Simon Lalong ( North Central).