FEC gives deadline for payment of new minimum wage arrears

The Federal Executive Council (FEC), presided over by Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, has approved the payment of arrears of the new minimum wage as agreed upon by the Organised Labour and the Federal Government.

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, made this known when he briefed State House correspondents on the outcome of the Council meeting held at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Wednesday.

Ngige said that the Council also approved the payment of all outstanding financial implications of the consequential adjustments as worked out by the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission, beginning from April 18.

“Council today approved for us that the financial implications be worked out by the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission, as consequential adjustments should take effect from April 18, the date the new national minimum wage came into being.

“The Council also approved for us that the financial implications be worked out and the attendant payments completed on or before Dec. 31.

“Council further directed that the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning, through the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, should effect all these payments as scheduled before Dec. 31.

“Council further directed also that the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission and the Ministry of Labour and Employment should send the consequential adjustment (wage) table to down to the States and Local Governments.

“This is to serve as an advisory document for their information and guidance, as they negotiate with their joint national public service councils in their respective states because the national minimum wage is a national law,’’ he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the organised labour and the Federal Government had, on Oct. 18, reached an agreement on the consequential adjustments of the implementation of the new minimum wage of N30,000, after three days of negotiation.

The Federal Government team to the agreement included the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige and his Minister of State, Dr Festus Keyamo

Witnesses to the agreement from the government side were Dr Folashade Yemi-Esan, Acting Head of the Civil Service of the Federation and Mr Olusegun Olufehinti, Director, IPPIS, Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation.

“The consequential adjustment for Consolidated Public Service Salary Structure (CONPSS), called group one, is GL 07 – 23.2 percent; GL 08 – 20 percent, GL 09 – 19 percent, GL 10 – 14, 16 percent and GL 15-17, 14 percent.

“The second group consists of Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS), Consolidated Tertiary Educational Institutions Salary Structure (CONTEDISS), Consolidated University Academic Salary Structure II (CONUASS II).

“Others are: Consolidated Polytechnics and Colleges of Education Academic Salary Structure (CONPCASS) and Consolidated Research and Allied Institutions Salary Structure (CONRAISS).

“For Grade Level seven and its equivalent, it is 23.2 percent, GL 8-14 equivalent, 16 percent and GL 15-17 equivalent, 10.5 percent,’’ he explained.

The Minister of Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika, who also spoke on the outcome of the Council meeting, said N1.7 billion was approved for the procurement and installation of communications equipment and absolute control contour for control towers at the Aviation Training School in Zaria and Katsina airports.

He said: “we presented a memorandum for the award of contract for the procurement and installation of communications equipment and absolute control contour for control towers in Zaria and Katsina.

“The total contract sum is N1,71460,196.10, including Value Added Tax (VAT) while the completion period is eight months.

“This is to address critical safety issues in such a way that there will be better communication and efficiency in the control towers in Zaria and Katsina, and this is ongoing, similar to what we have done in other airports,” the minister said.