Voice Air Media, VAM News Update
THE Governors of the 36 states of the federation have faulted the recent announcement by the Federal Government on an increase in the salary of workers.
Recall that the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC) had on Tuesday, announced a 25 to 35 per cent increase in the salary of police officers, the armed forces and civil servants on the remaining six consolidated salary structures.
The affected workers, according to the statement issued by Emmanuel Njoku, head of press, NSIWC are “Consolidated Public Service Salary Structure, Consolidated Research and Allied Institutions Salary Structure, Consolidated Police Salary Structure, Consolidated Para-military Salary Structure, Consolidated Intelligence Community Salary Structure, and Consolidated Armed Forces Salary Structure.”
But state governors, at the end of their virtual meeting on May 1, noted that the 37-member tripartite committee inaugurated on the National Minimum Wage is still in consultation and yet to conclude its work.
Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), the umbrella body of the state governors AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, in a communiqué, however, acknowledged the various initiatives adopted recently by way of wage awards and partial wage adjustments.
“As members of the committee, we are reviewing our individual fiscal space as state governments and the consequential impact of various recommendations, to arrive at an improved minimum wage we can pay sustainably,” he added.
AbdulRazaq who is also governor of Kwara State, expressed the commitment of the state governors to the process and better wages to Nigerian workers.
“The forum celebrates with workers across the country for their dedication to service and patience, as we work with the Federal Government, labour, organised private sector and relevant stakeholders in arriving at an implementable national minimum wage,” the governor stated.
The organised labour had earlier rejected the new increment and gave the Federal Government till May 31 to announce an acceptable new minimum wage to the workers.
Governor AbdulRazaq further assured that state governors were also committed to looking into issues bordering on the remuneration of state judicial officers and the infrastructure of the courts, in line with the revised National Policy on Justice (2024 -2028).
Meanwhile, the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Joe Ajaero on Thursday night explained how the Congress arrived at the N615,000 minimum wage proposal which it submitted to the Tripartite Committee on minimum wage.
Recent reforms in Nigeria including the removal of fuel subsidy and the unification of the foreign exchange market have pushed the cost of living to newer levels. Inflation figures hit 33.2 per cent in March, further compounding a troubled economy.
Labour unions and the Federal Government have since been locked in negotiations over measures including a new minimum wage to cushion the impacts of the harsh economy.
The NLC is proposing a N615,000 monthly salary for workers, a jump from the current N30,000. Although many believe it is unrealistic, the labour union believes many states can pay it if they get their priorities right.
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