As the organised labour is poised for a showdown with some state governments in the country over the non-implementation of new National Minimum Wage, the possibility of Akwa Ibom State government to pay it before the December 31 deadline as directed by the national Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, is slim.
President Muhammadu Buhari signed the National Minimum Wage Bill into law on April 18, 2019, empowering employers of labour in Nigeria to pay a worker N30,000 after the National Assembly had passed it into law.
Buhari had in November 2017 set up a 30-member tripartite National Minimum Wage Committee for the negotiation of a new national minimum wage for Nigerian workers.
As a follow-up, NLC national headquarters gave all state governments up to December 31 to pay or be prepared for strike action.
Recall that Akwa Ibom Governor Udom Emmanuel who spoke on Wednesday during the 2019 May Day Celebrations at Uyo Township Stadium, said his administration was poised to pay the new minimum wage after necessary documentations have been effected.
Earlier during his consultation visit to workers on his re-election bid on Monday, February 11, this year at the Workers Solidarity Centre, Nigeria Labour Congress Secretariat, Atan Offot in Uyo local government area, Emmanuel had assured of his administration’s readiness to pay workers the new minimum wage.
“We remain passionately committed the welfare of our workers to the full extent of the resources available. I promise to always keep a listening ear to your issues and concerns and together, the peace we have enjoyed all-round will continue to flourish and abound in our State,” he noted.
Consequently, the state government on May 16 inaugurated a 14-member Implementation Committee for the new minimum wage, which went into limbo after the inauguration.
However, a meeting between NLC, TUC executive members and other members of the Implementation Committee which started at 6 p.m. on Monday, December 30, is ongoing in the Office of Head of the Civil Service for the recommendation of the outcome to the state governor for study and approval.
From all indications, the state government may not be able to meet the deadline as the enlarged meeting is yet to adopt a position on the issue and submit the same to the state governor for consideration and approval.
In an interview with Straightnews reporter in Uyo on Monday, Comrade Sunny James, the Chairperson of NLC, Akwa Ibom Council speaking on the committee set for the implementation of New Minimum Wage said “So far, we are doing well. Negotiation is in top gear. Coincidentally today, we will be on a round-table meeting with the state government on the same subject, trying our best to get the matter resolved before the deadline of December 31. However, it goes we are optimistic that we will soon get the desired result for the workers of Akwa Ibom.
James who spoke in event of the state government is unable to implement the new minimum wage before the expiration of the deadline noted “It depends on how the final meeting will end. Peradventure, the negotiation is broken down, we will adopt the normal procedure.
“So far, the negotiation has not broken down. We will report to the national body, though negotiation is still on course. The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, at the national level has given directive and we are working on the directive. We hope we will end well. We will revert to them to give further directive,” he responded.
