Labour Minister, Chris Ngige, has disagreed with Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, over the latter’s warning that states and the Federal Governments may not be able to pay salaries beyond next month.
Obaseki, who spoke yesterday during the Workers’ Day at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, Benin, said the two tiers of government will no longer be able to pay salaries without the removal of petrol subsidy.
The other option, according to him, would be for the Federal Government to print money.
The Federal Government has set a June 30 day to end the subsidy payment regime on petrol for which it voted N3 trillion in the 2023 Appropriation Act.
Obaseki urged workers to champion the cause for the removal of fuel subsidy.
But Ngige dismissed the governor’s warning as an ‘alarm’.
He also assured the workers that the Federal Government has the capacity to meet the proposed pay rise.
The minister, who spoke on national television, said the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration had made adequate provision for the workers.
Besides, he said the incoming government of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has what it takes to follow through on the agreement.
He said: “Obaseki’s statement is not correct because payment of salaries and the increases we are talking about have been budgeted for.
“The doctors have completed their negotiation under the auspices of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) and they have come to us and we have transmitted it to the authority concerned. We have done the same thing for the nurses and others in the health sector.
“We have done the same thing for lecturers who went on strike for eight months last year and other workers in the university system and the polytechnic. Already, N350 billion has been captured in the appropriation budget of 2023.”
On whether the government has enough money to pay salaries from June this year, the minister said: “I am neither the Central Bank governor nor am I the Minister of Finance. These two manage Nigeria’s economy.
“I don’t know where Governor Obaseki has his information from. I would advise him as a governor to face his state and not talk about the Federal Government.
“Let him face his state and ensure that the weight of the salary increase is not borne by the workers alone. I don’t know what he is talking about and I don’t live in Edo state.
“For me as Labour manager of the country, President Muhammadu Buhari has made adequate provision for payment of salaries.
“And I am sure that the incoming government of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu will tow the same line. He is a finance man, who managed Lagos finances very well.
“When he was the governor of Lagos State, he even had extra for his workers in the judiciary. So, I have no fear that the incoming government will deliver.”
On why the government has not been able to crash the unemployment rate from 32 per cent, Ngige said: “The point here is that job creation is a cross-cutting thing. It is not only for the public sector to do.
“Many people have a wrong notion that it is for the government to create jobs. That is not right. The private sector is huge in job creation.
“If the economy is suffering several challenges, you will not have enough money in the system to ginger the system and create jobs.
“It is a fact that foreign investment into the country has gone down.”
Ngige, who noted that Nigerian workers were right in asking for more, however, said it was wrong for analysts to be equating minimum wage with dollars, adding that most of the consumables workers purchase were not gotten in dollarised markets.
“The inflation challenge is all over the world and that has affected the cost of living in all areas of life. The cost of production world over is rising and Nigeria is not excluded from the global challenge.
“Notwithstanding, that is not to say that Nigerian workers are right to ask for more.
“The Nigerian government is also right under the consideration of the basic capacity to pay. That is the norm under the Labour Law.
“That is why we do what is called collective bargaining, social dialogue during which you break the issues down and eventually arrive at an agreement known as Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) that binds everybody.
“But, if in the course of the journey, it is found that the agreement is not implementable, everybody reconvenes again to renegotiate the CBA.
“So, the Nigerian workers are right to ask for wage increases. They are right to be asking for more wages that will improve their standard of living.
“However, I don’t like the idea of looking at the naira vis a vis the dollar every time without situating the issue. That is not right.
“Some things are purchasable with naira and not purchasable with dollars. If you talk about food items, water and some other things, these items are not sold in dollarised markets in Nigeria.”
Speaking during the May Day anniversary christened: “Workers’ Rights and Socio-Economic Justice,” Obaseki promised that his administration would always ensure that the workers were fairly treated so that their take-home pay could take them home.
He said: “It will be a miracle for the state and federal governments to pay salaries beyond June this year, without resorting to massively printing money or removing fuel subsidy. Either of these decisions will bring more hardship and pain to Nigerians, particularly the workers.
“We must all make sure that the burden and pain of these measures, which must be taken, are not carried by workers alone. Workers must now rise and ensure that they champion any discussion on subsidy removal.
“You must shift from the tradition of reacting when these policies have been made, but insist that you take charge and ensure full transparency and disclosure. If we are all undertaking a reform, then the benefits and pains that will come out of the reforms must be mutually shared by all Nigerians, not just the downtrodden.”
Reaffirming his administration’s commitment to the welfare of workers in the state, the governor said: “I am proud to say that Edo workers are currently the best paid in Nigeria. When we announced the increment of the minimum wage to N40,000 at this venue last year, I expected that the Federal Government and other state governments would follow suit immediately, but I am surprised that it has taken them one year already.
“My promise to Edo workers here today (yesterday) is that the day the Federal Government is able to pay its new minimum wage and hand over a cheque to any federal worker, that day, we will match the Federal Government and do the same for Edo State’s workers.
“As your governor, I will ensure that workers are fairly treated. So that your take-home pay can really take you home. Our government has kept faith with prompt and regular payment of staff salaries and retirees’ benefits in the state in the last six years.” https://thenationonlineng.net/ngige-counters-obaseki-over-no-cash-to-paysalary-claim/Nlfpmod |
Obaseki! Kai, you really disappoint your "Edo no be Lagos" crew ooo.
But then, True-True, "Edo no be Lagos".
Mr. MoU Governor turn 1-Week Streetlight Governor.
I just hope say na Subsidy really be the agenda of that your talk but if na disguise to start owing salary as from next month, na Wahala be that ooo. |
