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James Ojo, Abuja
Federal Civil servants on grade level 07 and above will have to wait more before enjoy the minimum wage signed into law by President Mohammadu Buhari on April 18 this year.
Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige told the leadership of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) during a courtesy visit yesterday that a new Presidential Committee has just be put in place to resolve the deadlock over Consequential Adjustment of salaries for officers on Grade level 7 and above.
The Presidential Committee is the third committee to discuss the Minimum wage issue, first was the Tripartite Committee which agreed on N30,000 as minimum wage, second was the Consequential Adjustment Committee and now the Presidential Committee on Salaries.
“Let me assure you that President Mohammad Buhari is committed to the implementation of the Minimum wage. He has just put up a Presidential Committee on Salaries that will resolve the deadlock on Consequential Adjustment for Level 7/and above.
“We are going to advice the committee against prolong delay in its assignment because it would lead to pilling up debts for the federal and State Governments, this will must avoid,” he said.
He however did not disclosed the composition of members of the committee nor its terms of reference.
According to Ngige, government through the Consequential Committee had been able to negotiate the salary template for level 01 to 06 and applauded them for a job well done during his brief absence in the ministry..
He reminded the NLC team led by the Present, Comrade Ayuba Wabba that government was mindful of the state of the nation’s economy and the need to cut cloth according to size.
However, he promised to convince the President to allow the NLC and TUC to be of the Presidential Committee, noting that it will help in fast tracking the completion of the process leading to implementation of the Minimum wage for all cadre of workers in the country.
Senator Ngige said the issue of the Minimum wage had been a thorny issue for him because of his believe that a labourer must get his wage, adding that that was why he convinced the President to sign the N30,000 minimum wage.
It was after the signing of the bill by the President that the issue of Consequential Adjustment rared its head and became a contentious issue leading to the delay in the implementation of the Minimum wage.
A technical committee was set up under the chairmanship of the Head of Service of the Federation to work out an agreed template of payment with the Joint committees of the Public service. With the committee, Labour had pushed for a 30 percent increase for workers on grade level 7 to 14 and 25 percent for those on levels 15 to 17 whereas, Government was offering a template whereby workers will enjoy an increase of between 9.5 and 11 percent for workers on grade levels Seven to 14 and 6.5 percent from 5.3 percent for levels 15 to 17
A stalemate ensued as government was accused by Labour of shifting the goal post, leading to the set of a Presidential Committee is Salaries as announced by the Minister.
When contacted, labour leaders declined reaction to the setting up of a new Committee on the Minimum wage by the Presidency.
Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige had informed the leadership of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) who paid him a courtesy call on him in his office yesterday that President Mohammadu Buhari had set up a Presidential Committee on Salaries that will resolve the debacle on Consequential Adjustment of salary template for Grade Levels 07 to 17 in the public service.
NLC president, Comrade Ayuba Wabba had raised the unresolved issues concerning the implementation of the Minimum wage among several requests while addressing the minister.
The Minister and the Labour team went into a closed door session after Ngige responded to the plethora of demands by the Labour. After the closed door meeting the Labour leaders left without commenting on the establishment of the new Presidential Committee.
When contacted later through telephone calls and text messages, none of the Labour leaders responded, they neither pick calls nor reply to messages sent t their telephone lines.
