Nigerian governors met in Abuja, yestersday night and said they can only increase workers salary in their states from N18,000 to N22, 500 per month.
The resolve of the governors was contrary to the demand of the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress that the minimum wage must be increased to N30,000.
The Federal Government had earlier offered to pay N24, 000 as minimum wage.
Labour had declared that it would order workers to go on strike from November 6, 2019, if the government refused to take a decisive action on its demand.
However, the threat of the workers was believed to have made the leadership of the governors to convene an emergency meeting.
The meeting of the governors, which was held under the aegis of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, was attended by the Ministers of Labour and Productivity and that of National Planning, Senator Chris Ngige and Senator Udoma Udoma, respectively.
Chairman of the NGF, who is also the Governor of Zamfara State, Mr. Abdulaziz Yari, who briefed journalists after the meeting, said that the welfare of all Nigerians was the ultimate concern to the governors.
He said, “Following a meeting of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum where we deliberated on the National Minimum Wage after a briefing from our representatives at the Tripartite Committee, we submit as follows:
“The welfare of all Nigerians is our ultimate concern. In all our States, we are concerned about the deteriorating economic situation experienced by the vulnerable segment of our population.
“In agreeing to a National Minimum Wage, however, the Forum is even more concerned about development, particularly in the health, education and infrastructure spheres.
“It is, therefore, our considered position that since the percentage of salaried workers is not more than five per cent of the total working population, our position must not just reflect a figure, but also a sustainable strategy based on ability and capacity to pay, as well as reflective of all our developmental needs in each State.
“Afterall, Section 3 of the National Salaries Income and Wages Commission Act provides that ‘the Commission shall recommend a proposition of income growth which should be initiated for wage increase and also examined the salary structure in public and private sector with reasonable features of relativity and maximum levels which are in consonance with the national economy.
“It is in this sense that we feel strongly that our acceptable minimum wage must be done in such a way that total personnel cost does not exceed 50 per cent of the revenue available to each State.
“Governors, therefore, agreed to pay a national minimum wage of N22,500.”
While reacting to the outcome of the governors’ meeting, President of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr. Ayuba Wabba declared the N22,500 offer as unacceptable and that labour still stands on its demand of N30,000 which he said had been collectively agreed on. “Anything short of N30,000 is unacceptable,” he declared.
Meanwhile, the organised labour has frowned at the Federal Government’s delay in the process of promulgating new National Minimum Wage for workers in the country.
President, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr Ayuba Wabba, said this at a protest rally tagged: ‘National Day of Mourning and Outrage’ organised by NLC, Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the United Labour Congress (ULC), yesterday, in Abuja.
The protesters, who carried placards with inscriptions, “No Minimum Wage, No Work from Nov. 6’’, “Minimum Wage of N30, 000 Not Negotiable’’, “Minimum Wage will Boost Nigerian economy.’’
Others are: “Upward review of minimum wage will not trigger inflation’’, “Ngige and governors do not own Nigeria, Nigeria belongs to all workers’’, among others.
According to Wabba, organised Labour frowned at the manipulation and bending of facts in an attempt to delay or derail the processes needed to promulgate a new national minimum wage act.
“We call on the Federal Government to take necessary steps to ensure the enactment of a new national minimum wage act as we cannot guarantee industrial peace and harmony,” he said.
Wabba explained that the new national minimum wage was both legally and materially due since 2016, saying “the Minimum Wage Act prescribes a five yearly cycle of review.”
He also said that coupled with the delay, the increase in the pump price of petroleum products by over 85 per cent and the devaluation of the Naira by 100 per cent in 2016, have massively affected the cost of living.
According to him, the exchange rate and inflation rose to an all-time high, rendering the N18, 000 unjustifiable as basis for continued national minimum wage.
“Given the realities of our economic condition, the least any worker should earn is N30, 000,” he said.
Also, TUC President, Mr Bobboi Kaigama, said implementation of the national minimum wage was imperative as workers in the country were faced with hard times.
Kaigama called on the federal and state governments to do the needful as N30, 000 was not too much for them to pay workers as minimum wage.
“They cannot say they do not have money; the political office holders have the money and also the government. We also know how much they are putting into politics and the forthcoming general elections.
“Workers are not slaves but rather they create the wealth of the nation, they cannot continue to suffer. After all the minimum wage is long overdue,” he said.
It would be recalled that the organised labour has threatened to embark on an indefinite nationwide strike with effect from November 6, unless the government accepts and commences the payment of the negotiated N30, 000.
The organised labour noted that the Tripartite Committee on the National Minimum Wage had since completed its assignment for onward submission of its report to President Muhammadu Buhari.
The Nigerian Labour union has said it will not back down on its threat to embark on a nationwide protest over the National minimum wage.
The leaders of the Nigerian Labour Congress, Trader Union Congress and the United Labour Congress with their members marched from their NLC office at DLine to the Rivers state Government House to register their protest.
Speaking at the gate of the Government House, in Port Harcourt, National Vice President of the United Labour Congress, Igwe Achese said they were at the government House to pass their protest message to Governor Nyesom Wike.
“The only thing that can abort this strike is if they agree to our terms. Until that is done, there is no going back.
“Our message is for Nigerians to begin to stockpile their homes with foodstuff because this strike, when it begins, it will not end until the Government meets our demands,” Achese said.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the River State Council of the NLC, Beatrice Itubo reiterated that the economy of the country will be shut down on November 6 if their demands were not met.
No official of the state government came to address the protesting workers.
Similarly, the Bayelsa State Government has assured its civil servants of government’s willingness to pay the new minimum wage of N30,000.
The state’s Head of Civil Service, Mr. Wellington Obiri made the promise when the leaders of the state’s Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress led a peaceful protest to the Government House, Yenagoa, yesterday.
Obiri, while addressing the workers’ leaders, said, “I want to assure Bayelsa workers that government is in support of your quest for minimum wage. The N30,000 minimum wage will be implemented by the state government.
The Chairman of the NLC in the state, Mr. John Bipre-Ndiomu, said the whole essence of the protest was to ensure that workers were treated fairly and the N30,000 minimum wage that was agreed by the National Tripartite Wages Nomination Committee was implemented to the letter.
Ndiomu said, “We have come to inform our state government that we are also waiting on them and that immediately the Federal Government gives approval, we are assured that the states will follow suit.
Also, the Joint Kwara Labour Congress, yesterday in Ilorin, staged a peaceful protest on the delay by the Federal Government to implement the N30,000 minimum wage demanded by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
The workers in their hundreds joined the protest and marched through major streets in the metropolis, thereby causing a gridlock on major highways.
The workers at the Kwara Government House, carried different placards including, “Day of National Mourning; On N30, 000 minimum wage we stand”; “Let’s all demand for a living wage; Minimum wage, solution to corruption”.
The NLC Chairman, Kwara State chapter, Mr Yekini Agunbiade in his address to workers and government representatives, said it was evil to work more and earn less, adding that Nigeria workers deserve better treatment.
She said Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of the state would fight for the workers and speak in support of minimum wage.
Similarly, the Governor of Jigawa State, Mohammed Badaru, assured members of the Nigerian Labour Congress, Jigawa chapter, of his government’s readiness to fully implement the outcome of an ongoing meeting of governors over national minimum wage.
“A meeting with regard to the minimum wage is ongoing, the governors are discussing with the federal government as well, to agree on a fix minimum wage and I’m sure there will be good news after the meeting,” he said yesterday.
Badaru’s remark was interrupted by thunderous applause from the labour members who visited the Government House.
Earlier in his remarks, the Jigawa State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Usman Ya’u, thanked Badaru for the prompt payment of salaries, pension and gratuity.
He stated that the labour congress in Jigawa had acknowledged the position of Jigawa State Government on the issue of the proposed national minimum wage, and called on the governor to intervene to convince other colleagues to agree on the proposed N39,000 as the national minimum wage in the country.
In the same vein, labour unions in Enugu State have charged the state government to be prepared to adopt the N30,000 minimum wage proposed by organised labour.
The labour unions comprising the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), United Labour Congress (ULC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) made the call, yesterday, during a mobilization rally in Enugu.
The Chairman of the NLC in the state, Mr Virginus Nwobodo said that workers in the state would no longer accept a pay chart other than that centrally prepared for a minimum wage.
Nwobodo said that the implementation of the 2011 minimum wage in the state was a far cry from what was done in other states, adding that workers in the state were the least paid in the country.
The state Secretary of TUC, Mr Ben Asogwa, said it was sad that workers in the state lived from hand to mouth.
Asogwa said that the current situation could be traced back to the early period of implementation of the current minimum wage in the state.
“The previous government forced the current pay chart on us but we now have a government that listens.
In Kogi State, organised labour, yesterday, appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to keep his electioneering promise to increase the minimum wage, insisting on N30,000.
The Chairman, state chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Onu Edoka, made the appeal while addressing workers and government functionaries after leading them in a protest march to Government House, Lokoja.
Edoka, in his message to President Muhammadu Buhari through Governor Yahaya Bello, stressed the need for the Federal Government to ensure the implementation of the minimum wage.
The NLC chairman alleged that the Minister of Labour, Dr Chris Ngige, was frustrating the good intention of the Buhari-led administration by trying to subvert the agitations for a new minimum wage.
Responding on behalf of Bello, his Chief of Staff, Chief Edward Onoja, commended the workers for their orderly disposition, promising to convey their message to the appropriate quarters.
Onoja said that the state government had concluded plans to pay three months salary arrears to workers and pensioners in the state while their colleagues in the state tertiary institutions would be paid four months.
He assured the workers that the payment, expected to commence from week, followed the receipt of the Paris Club refund.
Onoja said that the threat by Organised Labour to shut down the entire system in the country on November 6, would not happen as efforts were being intensified by governments at all levels to reach an amicable settlement on the matter.
“No N30, 000, no vote, our PVC will speak for us that day. The organized labour has come together and will shut down this country.
“Government is saying, No work, No pay and we are saying No pay, No work and we are also saying No pay, No vote.
Meanwhile, government activities in Cross River State, including economic, social and political activities were grounded as organized labour embarked on sensitization campaign in the State.
Our correspondent went round government offices and observed that workers abandoned their offices and joined organized labour’s sensitization campaign.
At the state secretariats, government activities were put to hold as virtually all the offices were empty; clients who went to perform one activity or the other were frustrated as nobody was there to attend to them.