Labour advises governments to start saving money to pay arrears.
The 36 state governors were told by Comrade Festus Osifo, President of the Trade Union Congress, TUC, to start putting money away to cover the new minimum wage’s arrears when it goes into force.
Following a meeting at the TUC headquarters in Abuja with some executive officials of the Kogi State government, including former Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Comrade and Special Adviser to the Governor on Labour Matters Onu Edoka, Comrade Osifo offered the advise.
Commenting on Comrade Edoka’s claim that the Kogi State government is now paying the N30,000 minimum salary, Osifo said that the state should be concerned about how to pay the new minimum wage when it is eventually decided.
“What we want to say on the minimum wage is that we are not at this moment even dwelling on the N30,000 again, because we know that, by the grace of God, the new minimum wage act should be there before the end of July, maximum early August.”
The bill ought to have moved from being submitted to the National Assembly to being prepared for the President’s signature. By the end of July, our team at both labour centres hopes to have established a new minimum wage, which will need to get through the legal system and be approved by the President. This will greatly better the lot of workers, deal with the economic issues our country is currently facing, and allow the typical worker to buy a few things to sustain their families in the face of rising prices.
As I heard a state, maybe Nasarawa State, remark that they have already started allocating monies to perform their new responsibilities upon the implementation of the new minimum wage, I want to urge you all to continue reminding His Excellency when you return.”
Kogi should therefore give this step top priority in light of the present revenue and income shortfalls. When the new minimum wage is put into effect, let the state handle the related adjustment and pay it so that, in the end, the workers will benefit more.
It pleases me to learn that the employees get paid on schedule. This helps since it not only boosts and supports your state’s GDP but also motivates employees to go shopping and buy food.
“He plans to pay that company and that industry a visit and buy their products.” A worker, however, will not be able to buy the goods from such businesses if he does not get paid. In the end, these businesses will keep their goods in warehouses since nobody can afford to buy them.
I so advise you to carry on in that direction, to pay your salary on time, and to apply the new minimum wage.
Then, I would like to take use of this opportunity to urge every other state to make preparations for putting the new minimum wage into practice. Labour is ready to carry out the new minimum wage act as we will monitor each state to make sure it is carried out.”
“Let the workers breathe a sigh of relief, and we have the trust and belief that with the high labour representation in Kogi state government today, we believe that Kogi state government will do the needful.”
The President and the National Assembly are also urged to allow everyone to move quickly in passing the new national minimum wage.
“As you are aware, labour, we have negotiated for the private sector to contribute N62,000 and submitted N250,000 to the government. Let the President present the measure to the National Assembly with the cooperation and common front of both parties, and at the end of the day, we will have a new national minimum wage. This is important; every Nigerian labour union today has to address this issue.
As part of Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo’s resolve and attempts to usher in a new era where worker welfare is prioritised, Edoka said earlier that the Kogi State government has currently cleared 100% of the backlog of salaries as well as pensions owed to state workers and pensioners.
He stated that the state administration under Ododo has given the welfare of workers first priority and is equally taking all necessary steps to put in place policies that guarantee the interests of state workers are upheld and promoted.
In the interest of state workers, the governor of Kogi State, His Excellency, Alh. Ahmed Usman Ododo, is already implementing several labor-friendly measures, he stated. The Kogi workers are now receiving prompt salary payments as early as the 24th of each month. He noted, “Payments of 100% to pensioners at both the state and local government levels are prompt.”
He added that the governor of the state presently makes sure that “all categories of state health personnel receive a 35% hazard allowance. Payment of a six-month health insurance plan to the Kogi State Health Insurance Agency as a workforce take-off. Improved local government employee pay to 90% and a harmonised CONMESS pay system for veterinarians in Kogi State.