Minister supports labour’s call for N56,000 minimum wage

The minister of labour and employment, Dr Chris Ngige, said labour has a legitimate right to call for wage increase.

Ngige also told newsmen that the Federal Government is considering the demand by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) for the minimum wage to be increased to N56,000.

“The other day, labour requested increased wages for workers and they have only done what they are supposed to do. Therefore, nobody will quarrel with them. At the appropriate time, we shall all sit down because what the labour is asking is for the re-negotiation of an existing Collective Bargain Agreement (CBA). And every CBA-based agreement is subject to re-negotiation at any given time that any of the partners requests it.”

Adding that “It is wrong for people to think that whenever the labour makes such a demand, the nation is boiling. The labour in Nigeria has for the first time met a labour-friendly government under President Muhammadu Buhari.

“The government has put machinery in motion as we speak because I have got a letter as the Minister of Labour and Employment for my advice. We shall advise the government the way such a tripartite negotiation will be handled so that everybody will be satisfied without any industrial unrest.”

The minister also said President Buhari’s change agenda will ensure that things are done orderly.

Ngige also said “Government in this sense includes also the state and local governments whom such wages will be binding on. When government takes a decision, we will now move to another stage in the process of re-negotiating the CBA.

“We are in an era where due process supersedes every other. People can only perform their roles and give way for other people to also perform theirs.”

Dr Chris Ngige, said Governors of the South-East are not taking advantage of regional integration to grow the region’s economy.

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