Yemisi Izuora
The budget office has dashed the hope of increased pay package for Nigerian workers as proposed by the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC.
The Director General, Budget Office of the Federation, Mr. Ben Akabueze, who gave this indication said the 2018 budget, at present, cannot accommodate the minimum wage proposal.
He said the Federal Government might go for supplementary budget to implement the new minimum wage if approved by the law.
Akabueze disclosed this at the Media and CSOs Dialogue on the 2018 budget in Abuja.
“When an agreement is reached, the financial implication would be quantified and if need be, there would be a supplementary budget.
“The only provision that exists is what we call public service wage adjustment, but that is barely over N40bn provided on that line, and that may not be enough to cater for any adjustments that may be necessary.’’
President Muhammadu Buhari, in November 2017, inaugurated a 30-man Tripartite National Minimum Wage Committee, calling on the members to come up with a fair and decent wage for Nigerian workers.
Buhari said the re-negotiation of a new national minimum wage had become imperative because the existing minimum wage instrument had since expired.
“We all know that the last minimum wage instrument has expired.
“It is in recognition of the need to ensure a fair and decent living wage that the Federal Government put in motion necessary mechanisms so that we can, today, inaugurate this large committee with a big task ahead of you.
“You are all aware that during the period following the increase in petrol pump price in May 2016, a technical committee was established to examine and make recommendations to government.’’
Buhari, at the time, said the measures to be adopted would cushion the envisaged painful effects of the increase on workers and the Nigerian populace at large.
2 Comments
Comment
if federal govt. connot pay NLC proposed new minimum wage, it should also reduced salaries of senators as well as House of Reps members to line with that of civil servants
i am just confused because Akabueze statement.
Where do Federal government source money to satisfied the Political Class with their excessive spending and consumerism?
But, wage increment will take years before it is implemented after it was long overdue since 2015. It has a five years reviewed plans. Three years down the line, federal government gave a deaf to this worrisome issue which affect all and sundry in the civil service.
May we not forget in a hurry, the biting inflation and recession of 2016/2017 which its extreme effect was on the civil servants.
The sudden hike in the pump price of fuel and also the increment in transport fare which has a negative consequences on the populace.
Most classes of people are being clothed, fed, sheltered,and sponsored by the government. The still sit, man and managed the Same system against the civil servants. They buy in the same market. but class categorization makes them more honourable than others
It is injustice and systemic oppression to a particular set of people
Beware! God dey!!