₦airaland Forum

There is growing concern among workers in the country as to whether government will fulfil its promise of implementing a new minimum wage with just a month to the September proposed commencement date. For workers excited about a new minimum wage (NMW) coming into effect this September, indications suggest that they may have to keep their celebration on hold for now.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) general secretary, Dr Peter Esson told our reporter over the phone that the minimum wage negotiation committee had been meeting everyday in the last one week to ensure it meets the deadline. “On our part, we are doing everything possible to ensure that we meet the deadline and ensure the report is submitted this month. Ours is to ensure that the work is completed this month and transmitted to the president,” he said.

LEADERSHIP Weekend recalls that the organised labour, comprising NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), had in May 2016 demanded an upward review of the national minimum wage from its current N18,000 to N56, 000. Labour argued that the five-years lifespan of the current minimum wage had expired since 2015.

After 15 months of delay, President Muhammadu Buhari in November 2017 inaugurated a 30-member tripartite National Minimum Wage Committee for the negotiation of a new national minimum wage for Nigerian workers. In February this year, while speaking in Abuja at the first series of public lectures to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the NLC, minister of labour and employment, Dr Chris Ngige, had assured workers that the new minimum wage would come into effect this year.

“I can assure you that the third quarter is the maximum time the new minimum wage will be announced,” he said. But the minister caused quite a stir three months later (in May) when he declared that the new minimum wage would not be ready by September.

Workers expressed dismay that the minister was recanting on an earlier agreement that the new minimum wage would be ready by August. LEADERSHIP Weekend reports that once the minimum wage committee concludes its report, it would be submitted to the National Council of State and the Federal Executive Council (FEC) for approval, before a bill is sent to the National Assembly to legalise the committee’s work. Thereafter, it is sent back to the president for assent.

However, the National Assembly last week went on a two-month recess and is not expected to resume until September 22, a situation which, many fear, could further delay the implementation process. Nevertheless, the NLC general secretary said that workers were confident that the National Assembly lawmakers would reconvene by the time the committee’s task is completed. It has been gathered that civil servants in the country are not ready to accept any extension of the date for the new minimum wage implementation to take off. The union for public service workers, Nigerian Civil Service Union (NCSU), has urged the federal government to live up to its promise as it will not brook any laxity on the issue.

“The federal government must match its words with actions so that the high expectations of workers on the implementation of the new minimum wage would be realised on or before September 2018. Failing this, the entire members of the Union will not take it with levity,” said NCSU president, Comrade Lawrence Amechi, in communique issued at the end of the union’s national executive council (NEC) meeting recently. Also, the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT) at the end of its NEC meeting on Tuesday expressed concern at remarks credited to the minister of labour and employment – that the September timeline would no longer be feasible, with no other date given. “NAAT is aware that NLC and TUC have jointly made a submission of N66,500.00 as new NMW, and that tripartite meetings in this regard are ongoing. As an affiliate of NLC, NAAT is in agreement with NLC and TUC on the submission made.

However, the union urges parties in the NMW negotiations to fast-track the process to ensure implementation this year, 2018. Undue delay would be unacceptable,” a communique issued by the union stated. NLC president, Ayuba Wabba has expressed confidence that the minimum wage committee will round off its work this August Speaking during NLC’s annual Rain School in Your Village, he said: “The Congress and other stakeholders are still meeting on the issues of minimum wage and, hopefully, will round off by August 2018.

“With minimum wage as one of the most important ways of motivating workers to provide effective service, it is envisaged that its implementation will engender growth, not only among the public sector workers but also among the workers in the private and informal sectors of the economy. In addition, the financial benefits associated with the minimum wage would trickle down to the whole society.”

The TUC president, Kaigama Bobboi, who spoke to our correspondent via telephone, affirmed that labour stands by the September deadline, saying there would not be any room for extension On the fears that the recess by the National Assembly will affect the implementation process, Bobboi said it was possible that the National Assembly will reconvene if it becomes necessary “You know the recess is political. I don’t think it will affect the process. Our is to get the job done and send to the executive arm of government,” he said.

The past weeks have witnessed defection of politicians from the two major political party- the ruling All Progressives Party, APC and the main opposition, Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.

The APC is the major victim as federal lawmakers, including the Senate President, Bukola Saraki, state governors left the party for the PDP and Obasanjo’s African Democratic Congress.

The development did not go well with some members of the ruling party who levelled barrage of criticism on the defectors as well as attacked the leadership of the Senate for its presumed role in the switch of camps.

Oshiomole Vs Ortom

Starting off with what many have described as double standards was the reaction of the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Adams Oshiomole to the defection of Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom.
Mr Oshiomole who had a week earlier appealed to the governor not to leave the APC described Ortom as a failure adding that his defection was a relief to the party.

“I am relieved as national chairman, and I believe that the leadership of the party in Benue is also relieved that Ortom has left the party and returned to the club he belongs”

In a swift reaction to the verbal attacks, Governor Ortom in a statement signed his Chief Press Secretary Terver Akase, expressed shock that he was attacked by the party's National Chairman who had earlier described him as one of the star performers of the APC.

Berating Oshiomole for his double-speaking, the statement told him to differentiate between being a party chairman and a union leader.

“The APC National Chairman’s sudden aggression towards Governor Ortom has revealed among other things, the true oppressive intentions of the ruling party APC against Nigerians. Oshiomhole appears to be flying a kite of an agenda to intimidate and suppress Nigerians who desire freedom from a party which has clearly failed to secure lives and property.”

El-Rufai vs Saraki

In another development the Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai blasted the Senate President Bukola Saraki, describing the 8th Senate as the worst in the history of the country.

According to El-Rufai, some members of the APC whose names were included in the list of defectors claimed that they never authorized it.

“We have never had a bad senate leadership like this one by Bukola Saraki. Some people whose names were mentioned among those who defected said they never authorised it,” he said.

Reacting, Senator Saraki described the governor as a careless talker, stressing that he could not have announced the name of any defector if they didn’t sign a letter communicating their defection to the PDP.
"Is it possible for the name of a senator to be announced as having defected without him or her signing the letter communicating same to the Senate President?

“We challenge el-Rufai to mention the name of any senator whose name was announced without his or her consent. He (el-Rufai) is a divisive element, an expert hero worshipper and noisemaker.”

Amaechi vs Kwankwaso

Transportation Minister, Rotimi Amaechi in a statement boasted that President Muhammadu Buhari will win the 2019 general elections in Kano and Bauchi States despite the defections of political heavyweights to the PDP.

“If you bring the President on a sick bed to Bauchi and Kano, he will win and he has never lost election in Bauchi. But that is a bit arrogant on our side; we should not underestimate them,” he said

Reacting to Amaechi's statements, the spokesperson of the former governor of Kano State, Binta Spikin stressed that Mr Kwankwaso’s defection will not only affect the votes in Kano State but has brought down the APC.

“I think his defection will greatly affect the votes in 2019. His defection will not only affect the chances of the APC in Kano, his defection has brought down APC. If you look across Nigeria today, not Kano alone, there’s nowhere in Nigeria that you don’t have the presence of Kwankwasiyya (supporters of Mr Kwankwaso).

While confrontations rage on and opinions differ, one thing remains clear, we are yet to hear the last of the confrontations and defection.

hollywater:
U will be disappointed come 2019.Pastor Oyedikpo just fasted for one week, Ur Buhari team started defecting. He fall sick all of a sudden. Wait until Pastor Oyedikpo do 22 days fasting. And see Osinbanjo defect to PDP.

Dlee1:
I prefer 8760w instead of 8560w. 17inches preferable...

sunene1:
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