Labour kicks as FG backdates minimum wage implementation to July

The Committee on Consequential Adjustments in Salaries for civil servants met on Friday as regards the new minimum wage template and agreed that the effective date for implementation of new minimum wage be set at July 29,2024.

This is according to a Memorandum of Understanding issued at the end of the meeting which was sighted by our correspondent in Abuja on Friday.

The Committee also recommended that the wage award which was discontinued by the government should also be paid up till July 28,2024.

The Committee headed by the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Didi Walson-Jack noted that the government took note of the economic situation in the country before it took its decisions.

“The Committee held four meetings and considered all presentations by the Federal Government and Trade Union Sides. It also considered the economic situation and ability of Federal Government to pay and sustain any consequential adjustment in salaries arising from the implementation of the National Minimum Wage (Amendment) Act, 2024 as well as the effect on other employers.”

The MOU further recommended that, “The NSIWC will generate the appropriate salary templates for other consolidated salary structures for implementation: that the effective date of the implementation should be 29th July 2024, that the payment of the wage award issued vide NS/WC Circular SWC.04/T/33 dated 19th October 2023 should continue to be paid until 28th July 2024.

“That the Federal Government should take appropriate measures to alleviate the plight of Federal workers as a result of the recent increase in PMS, including the consideration of tax waivers and other incentives; and that the NSIWC in collaboration with other   stakeholders should commence monitoring of the implementation in line with the provisions of the Act.”

But reacting in an interview with Saturday PUNCH, the Head of Information of the Nigerian Labour Congress, Benson Upah, faulted the decision of the government, describing it as unacceptable.

“The backdating to July is not fair. It is not acceptable,” he said.

Also, the National Vice President of the Trade Union Congress, Timmy Etim, criticised the government’s move.

He said since the Minister of State for Labour, Nkiruka Onyejeocha, had told workers on May Day that the new minimum wage would take effect in May, it was unfair for the government to renege on the promise.

“The Minister of State for Labour, during the May Day, said that the payment of the new national minimum wage would take effect from May 1st. I am surprised if they have changed and I don’t know the parameter they used for the change. But it will be unfair for the government to do that taking cognizance of the socio economic challenges.

“I think the government should walk the talk. If they say that the effective day is May, I believe that should have been effected. Even when they had deviated from May, it should have been from the date of which the Act was signed into law. But be that as it may, even the N35,000 should be applied till the effective date. If that is considered, I think it is reasonable,” Etim stated.

In the meantime, some civil servants have lamented the delay in the implementation of the N70,000 new minimum wage.

Some of them, who spoke to our correspondent in Ogun State on Friday, said that the delay underscored the insensitivity and the long term “I don’t care attitude” of the government to the suffering of the people.

A single mother of three and teacher in one the public schools in the state, who identified herself as Ms Oladele, said that her family had been surviving the increasing economic hardship miraculously.

“It’s height of wickedness on the part of the government to have refused to do something meaningful since last year when it removed subsidy from petrol and also floated the naira which comes with the attendant increase in prices of everything,” she stated.

Another worker identified simply as Adesola also berated the government for looking the other way while many Nigerians battled with the economic hardship.

Adesola said, “It is just so sad that the government has continued to foot-drag on the implementation of the N70,000 minimum wage which is generally considered too meagre for the inflation ridden economy.”

A civil servant, who works with the Ministry of Water Resources in Osun State, said the new wage implementation delay amounts to shortchanging the workers.

The staff, who pleaded anonymity to avoid being punished by the ministry, said the delayed implementation had made the poor poorer.

He said, “Federal Government caused this problem. It has kept increasing prices of fuel while nothing serious is being done regarding implementation of the new minimum wage.”

A staff of the National Identity Management Commission, who gave his name as Oyas in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, said life is no longer what it used to be especially with the high cost of fuel.

He said, “The salary is nothing to write home about because of the price of fuel. As I talk with you now I have packed my vehicle for sometimes to be using public transport. The announcement of the minimum wage have increased price of commodities.”