Don’t go on strike over minimum wage bill, FG begs Labour

THE Federal Government has called on the organised labour to shelve its plan to embark on strike over the minimum wage bill in the National Assembly.

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, made the appeal, yesterday, at the inauguration of the National Labour Advisory Council, in Owerri Imo State.

The event was virtually declared open by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo on behalf of President Buhari.

Ngige, who said the organised labour have made their points, urged workers not to embark on strike as the matter would be resolved.

Saying he supports the organised labour opposition to the bill, the minister, however, said the labour needed not thank him for his position on the bill as he was reechoing the FG’s position reflected in its adoption of conventions of the International Labour Organisation on the minimum wage.

He said, “Although the council has been inactive, the Ministry in the spirit of Tripartism has ensured and maintained a sound tripartite relationship with social partners.

“For example, during the negotiation for the national minimum wage from 2017 to 2018, we used the tripartite plus composition of government, employers, employees and other interests- and for other interests, we made sure that it reflected the members of this council.

“That was why we got the Nigerian Governors Forum involved in that negotiation and we called it tripartite plus.”

Reacting to the Minister’s comment, the President of the Nigerian Labour Congress, Ayuba Wabba commended Buhari for constituting the NLAC.

Chairman of Trade Union Congress, Quadri Olaleye represented by his deputy, Oyinkan Olasonye, praised Ngige for being hard working and industrious, but said they will continue to knock on his door “until we have total industrial peace.”

The minimum wage bill, sponsored by Datti Garba from Kaduna State, which is before the House of Representatives seeks to remove the National Minimum Wage from the exclusive to the concurrent legislative list.