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Labour Kicks As NCS Okays N27,000 Minimum Wage …OBJ, Jonathan, Abdulsalami, Others Attend Meeting
The National Council of State (NCS) has approved N27,000 as the minimum wage for all workers in the country.
The council approved the amount at its meeting in the Presidential Villa, Aso Rock, Abuja, yesterday.
Following the council’s approval, a minimum wage bill is expected to be sent to the National Assembly, today.
According to the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, the Federal Government is topping the approved amount by N3,000 to N30,000 for its workers.
He said the states were at liberty to augment the new agreement as they deem fit.
The amount approved by the Council of State is N3,000 short of the N30,000 that the Tripartite Committee on Review of National Minimum Wage recommended.
The committee, chaired by a former Head of Service of the Federation, Ms Ama Pepple, had submitted the report, which contained the recommended figure, to President Muhammadu Buhari on November 6, 2018, after many months of deliberations.
Prior to the committee’s recommendation in October, state governors had offered to pay N22,500 as minimum wage.
Nine days after the committee recommended N30,000, on November 15, the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) insisted that the states cannot pay the amount, leading to criticism by organised labour, which insisted on N30,000.
On January 8, 2019, the Nigeria Labour Congress held a nationwide protest over what it said was the delay by the Federal Government to transmit a new minimum wage bill to the National Assembly.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Labour Congress has rejected the N27,000 new national minimum wage adopted by the National Council of States yesterday.
The NLC Secretary-General, Dr. Peter Ozo-Eson, made this known to newsmen in Abuja.
According to him, the council has no jurisdiction determining another amount after a Tripartite Committee had submitted its report.
“It is abysmal of government to be delaying the submission of an Executive Bill to the National Assembly and by wrongfully adopting N27,000 through the council of states,” he said.
However, Ozo-Eson said the NLC has scheduled an emergency National Executive Council meeting for Friday to weigh on the deadline given to government within which to submit an executive bill to the National Assembly.
The NLC scribe added that the Federal Government was only projecting a shutdown of the economy with its latest action.
“This is because workers should not be held responsible for any development after its NEC meeting on Friday,’’ he said.
The meeting, which was held behind closed doors, started at 11.a.m prompt at the Council Chamber.
Buhari went round to shake hands with some of the past leaders, including Obasanjo as soon as he arrived at the Council Chamber.
Obasanjo also offered the opening Christian prayer while Mohammed Uwais said the Muslim prayer.
One minute silence was observed in honour of former President, late Alhaji Shehu Shagari, and late CJNs Aloysius Katsina-Alu and Idris Kutigi.
Without listing the details of the agenda during the opening session, the Secretary to the SGF, Boss Mustapha said that the meeting will discuss five-point agenda.
But issues expected to be considered at the meeting include the national minimum wage, and confirmation of the appointment of the acting Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu.
The forthcoming general elections and security of the nation were also expected to engage the attention of the Council of State.
It would be recalled that the Council of State is comprised of past presidents and heads of state, former and present Chief Justices of Nigeria (CJN), leadership of the National Assembly, state governors, among others.
But at the meeting were former Presidents, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, former Head of Interim National Government, Chief Ernest Shonekan and former military President, Gen. Abdulsalami Abubakar.
Others at the meeting were the Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo, Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki, and former CJN, Mohammed Uwais.
Also present were the state governors from Osun, Kebbi, Zamfara, Plateau, Ebonyi, Adamawa, Edo, Lagos, Niger, Borno, Ogun, Ekiti, and Kogi.
State deputy governors at the meeting were those from Bauchi, Kaduna and Rivers, with Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, Head of Service, Winifred Oyo-Ita, National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno, FCT Minister, Mohammed Bello and Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige in attendance.
Former Heads of State, Gens Yakubu Gowon and Ibrahim Babangida, and former CJN, Mariam Muktar sent apologises for their absence at the meeting.
The present CJN, Justice Walter Onnoghen was conspicuously absent at the meeting.
However, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has rejected the N27,000 new National Minimum Wage adopted by the National Council of States, yesterday.
The NLC General Secretary, Dr Peter Ozo-Eson, made this known to newsmen, yesterday, in Abuja.
According to him, the council has no jurisdiction determining another amount after a Tripartite Committee has submitted its report.
“It is abysmal of government to be delaying the submission of an Executive Bill to the National Assembly and by wrongfully adopting N27,000 through the council of states,” he said.
Ozo-Eson, however, said the NLC has called an emergency National Executive Council meeting for Friday to weigh on the deadline given to government within which to submit an executive bill to the National Assembly.
The NLC general scribe added that the Federal Government was only projecting a shutdown of the economy with its latest action.
“This is because workers should not be held responsible for any development after its NEC meeting on Friday,’’ he said.
Meanwhile, the Organised Labour in Bayelsa State has commended the approval of N30,000 minimum wage for federal workers and N27,000 for the states by the National Council of State.
The unions, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), told newsmen, yesterday, in Yenagoa, that the approval would improve living conditions of workers.
TUC Chairman in the state, Mr Tari Daunana, said it was good, and urged workers to be more diligent and committed to their duties.
“Yes, with this approval and increase, Nigerian workers will be able to take care of their basic needs.
“The new minimum wage will add value to the lives of workers; we urge workers to be more diligent and committed to duties.
“So, we are all happy, we believe the National Assembly will give it (minimum wage bill) a speedy passage, so that it will come into effect as soon as possible.
“I quite believe that the government’s action will boost the input of the workers and motivate them for optimal productivity,” Daunana added.
Also, the Chairman, Baylesa chapter of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr John Ndiomu, urged the state governors to comply with the approval.
Ndiomu recalled that Gov. Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa promised to pay any approved amount as minimum wage.
A civil servant, Mrs Joy Owei, hailed the approval but expressed worries over paying N27, 000 to states’ workers.
Owei described it as “short-changing” workers in the states.
Rivers State Head of Service, Dr (Mrs) Inyingi Brown, has called on rural communities in the State to embrace the Rural Access and Agricultural marketing project (RAAMP) with a view to improving their living conditions.
This follows the ongoing sensitization campaign by the State Project Implementation Unit (SPIU) visits to Degema, Abonnema, Afam headquarters of Degema, Akuku Toru and Oyigbo Etche and Omuma local government areas respectively.
Dr Brown who was represented by the Deputy Director, Special Duties in her office, Mrs Dein Akpanah, said RAAMP was initiated by the Federal Government and World Bank to economically empower rural dwellers.s
She said the World Bank understands the plights of rural farmers and traders in the State, and therefore came up with the programme to address them.
According to her, RAAMP will improve the conditions of farmers, traders and fishermen, and therefore, behoves on every rural communities in the State to embrace the programme.
The Head of Service also said the programme would support the youths to be gainfully employed while bridges and roads will be built to link farms and fishing settlements.
Also speaking, the State project coordinator, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the programme has the potential of creating millionaires among farmers and fishermen in the State.
Kpakol who was represented by Engr. Sam Tombari, said RAAMP would help farmers and fishermen to preserve their produce.
According to him, the project will build cold rooms and Silos for preservation of crops and fishes while access roads will also be created to link farmers and fishermen to the market.
He, however, warned them against any act that will lead to the suspension of the projects by the World Bank.
Kpakol particularly warned against acts such as kidnapping, marching ground, gender based violence and child labour, adding that such acts if they occur may lead to the cancellation of the project by the World Bank.
During the visit to Oyigbo local government area, Mr Joshua Kpakol, said the team was there to let them know how they will benefit from the Raamp.
The coordinator who was personally at Oyigbo said the World Bank introduced the project to check food insecurity in the State.
He said already 19 states in Nigeria are already benefitting from the project and called on them to embrace the project.
Meanwhile, stakeholders in the three local government areas have commended the World Bank for including their areas in the project.
They, however, complained over the incessant attacks by pirates on their waterways.
At Degema, King Agolia of Ke kingdom said land was a major problem in the kingdom.
King Agolia represented by High Chief Alpheus Damiebi said many indigenes of the kingdom are willing to go into farming but are handicapped by lack of land.
Also at Degema, the representative of the Omu Onyam Ekeim of Usokun Degema kingdom, Osoabo Isaac, said Degema has embraced the programme but needed more information on the implementation of the programme.
Similarly, while High Chief Precious Abadi advised that the project should not be narrowed to only crop farming, a community women leader, Mrs Orikinge Eremabo Otto, called for the construction of cold rooms in all fishing settlements in the area.
At Abonnema, Mr Diamond Kio linked the problem of the area to incessant piracy along waterways.
He also expressed fears over the possibility of the project being hijacked by politicians.
Also at Abonnema, a stakeholder, Ikiriko Kelvin, called on the World Bank to design an agricultural project that will suit the riverine environment, while at Oyigbo, HRH Eze Boniface Akawo expressed satisfaction with the project.
John Bibor
The political mudslinging between the Senate leadership and Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan continued yesterday as the Senate named Senator Aniekan Bassey as the new Chairman of the Committee on Diaspora and Non-Governmental Organisations.
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced the appointment during yesterday’s plenary, confirming Bassey’s replacement of Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, who is currently on suspension.
Akpoti-Uduaghan was reassigned to the Diaspora and NGOs Committee in February after she was removed as Chair of the Senate Committee on Local Content during a minor reshuffle.
Bassey is the senator representing Akwa Ibom North-East Senatorial District.
Although no reason was given for her removal yesterday, the change is believed to be connected to her unresolved suspension.
In May, Justice Binta Nyako of the Federal High Court ordered her reinstatement and directed her to tender an apology to the Senate.
However, the Senate has insisted it has not received a certified true copy of the court judgment.
Akpoti-Uduaghan who represents Kogi Central, has yet to resume her legislative duties despite a recent court ruling that voided her suspension.
In a televised interview on Tuesday, Akpoti-Uduaghan said she was awaiting the Certified True Copy of the judgment before officially returning to plenary, citing legal advice and respect for institutional process.
Although the Federal High Court described her suspension as “excessive and unconstitutional”, a legal opinion dated July 5 and attributed to the Senate’s counsel, Paul Daudu (SAN), argued that the ruling lacked any binding directive to enforce her reinstatement.
Akpoti-Uduaghan, one of only three female senators in the current assembly, said the continued delay in allowing her return was not only a denial of her mandate but also a blow to democratic representation.
“By keeping me out of the chambers, the Senate is not just silencing Kogi Central, it’s denying Nigerian women and children representation. We are only three female senators now, down from eight,” she said.