Members of the Nigeria Labour Congress protesting over non-implementation of the new minimum wage
ABUJA, Oct 19 (NNN-ALLAFRICA) — After days of intense negotiations, the federal government of Nigeria and the country’s labour unions have reached a deal on the implementation modality of the new minimum wage.
Disagreement over how the new minimum wage law signed by President Muhammadu Buhari in April would be implemented had lingered for months, with organised labour threatening to strike.
The Minister for Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, disclosed news of the much-awaited agreement early Friday morning in Abuja shortly after a government team he led concluded a meeting with labour.
The meeting, which began at 8:24pm Thursday, ended 3am Friday.
The disagreement had centred around the consequential adjustments in salaries that must be implemented across board in line with the new minimum wage law.
Labour is demanding a 29 per cent salary increase for officers on salary level 07 to 14, and 24 per cent adjustment for officers on salary grade level 15 to 17.
But the federal government offered 11 per cent salary increase for officers on grade level 07 to 14, and 6.5 per cent adjustment for workers on grade level 15 to 17.
Speaking after the five-hour meeting, Ngige said the consequential adjustment agreed upon are as follows:
“For COMESS wage structure Grade level 7 gets 23 per cent, Salary grade level 8 gets 20 per cent, Salary grade level 9 gets 19 per cent Salary grade level 10 -14 gets 16 per cent while Salary grade level 15-17 gets 14 per cent
“For those on the second category of wages structure, CONHES, CONRRISE, CONTISS etc, Level 7 gets 22.2 percent, Level 8-14 gets 16 per cent , Level 15-17 gets 10.5 percent
He said the third category of the country’s wage structure which are military and paramilitary officers were also factored in in the agreement.
“Since they are not in the civil service , theirs will be communicated through the appropriate channels. Their percentages of increase is confidential,” he said. — NNN-ALLAFRICA
