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Minister of Labour and Employment Senator Chris Ngige |
Minister of Labour and Employment Senator Chris Ngige has explained that the Federal Government will not be able to review salaries of workers at the moment owing to the country’s economic challenges.
He noted that other tiers of government that have more money could pay higher wages.
Ngige, who spoke when the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) visited him, said the minimum wage was an issue that was not contestable since it was a product of legislation backed by an Act of the National Assembly.
The minister accused governors and the organised labour of heating up the polity with the controversy surrounding the issue.
Ngige said the NLC leadership was quite aware that the governors were playing politics with the issue, stressing that anybody that wants a review of the Minimum Wage Act should approach the National Assembly or ask the President to send an Executive Bill.
The minister added that the ministry was planning to review some of the nation’s existing labour laws, which, he said, were too old.
He asked the organised labour to make their input into the new laws.
Ngige said: “This is a government that has three pillars as its cardinal objectives. First, this is a government that wants to bring back security of lives and property, starting with fighting terrorism, which we know that the government is handling effectively and efficiently in the Northeast.
“The second issue is that of making the economy right. Unfortunately, the price of oil is said to be the worst in 27 years. But we still have the stamina and determination to pull the economy out of the wood and so, we require the cooperation of all.
“So, when NLC join the governors in talking about the minimum wage, with the governors saying we can’t pay N18,000 minimum wage and NLC says it is time for us to ask for increase, we now know that these talks are heating up the system.
“The NLC knows better that the governors are playing politics. This is one matter that you cannot play politics with because it is a matter of rule of law. The law in place now is the Minimum Wage Act enacted by the National Assembly and the National Assembly derived their power from the Exclusive List of the constitution, which gives them power to make laws on labour related matters, including the minimum wage.
