Minimum Wage: FG Rejects N22,500 Governors’ Proposal, Says Ngige.

The Minister of Labour and Productivity, Mr. Chris Ngige, says
the Federal Government has rejected the N22,500 minimum wage
proposal by the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF).

Ngige stated this on Wednesday during a phone interview on
Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily.

“The governors have not even done enough. I told them that this
N22,500 is even rejected by the Federal Government,” he said.

Ngige’s comments come 24 hours after NGF unanimously agreed to
pay Nigerian workers N22,500 as the new minimum wage as against the
current N18,000.

Chairman of the Forum and Zamfara State Governor, Abdul’Aziz
Yari, said that the decision of the governors was based on the
current realities on the ground.

But Ngige criticised the governors for the figure saying N22,500
is even below the N24, 000 agreement by the Federal Government.

He, however, said that all parties on the ground would resume
back on negotiations to see that the welfare of the workers is
met.

Ngige added, “The national minimum wage is a national
legislation being driven by the Federal Government of Nigeria in
pursuance to item 34 of the Exclusive Legislative list.

“But you don’t go and make a law which people will disobey at
the initial.

“If you make a law and hoax a figure that is not agreeable,
which people don’t have the capacity or ability to pay because the
International Labour Organisation (ILO) says in those negotiations,
the principle is the ability to pay.”

The minister, however, decried that the Chairman of the
Tripartite Committee, Ms. Amal Pepple is not in the country.

Ngige explained that despite her absence for two weeks for a
medical check-up, the Federal Government would convene partners
involved in the minimum wage to deliberate on the issue and arrive
on the same page.

Although workers are demanding N30,000 as minimum wage, the
minister said that any industrial action being embarked on the
aggrieved workers would not resolve the issues at stake.

GandujeGate: New Video Shows Gov in Black
Kaftan
… Daily Nigerian Denies Releasing Latest Clip

Another video has surfaced and currently trending on social
media from unknown sources, involving the Kano State Governor
Abdullahi Ganduje in black Kaftan collecting bribe from a
contractor as the Editor-In-Chief of Daily Nigerian, Jaafar Jaafar
denies the current release.

Findings by PRNigeria indicate that the embattled Publisher of
the Daily Nigerian who had recently honoured the invitation of the
Kano State House of Assembly investigating the alleged bribe
scandal revealed that Jaafar Jaafar tendered several videos to the
lawmakers hence he could not have released the trending video on
Ganduje.

“I swore an oath with the Holy Quran before tendering the
several videos at the Kano State Assembly and I could not have been
responsible for the current video trending on social media.
Therefore Daily Nigerian did not release any other video after the
appearance before lawmakers,” Jaafar said.

Before the appearance of the publisher at the Kano State House
Assembly, Daily Nigerian had published two videos showing the
governor receiving bundles of dollars and putting them into his
white dress known as ‘babanriga’ in the northern part of
Nigeria.

The latest trending video from anonymous source shows Abdullahi
Ganduje, governor of Kano state, allegedly receiving kickback from
contractors, speaking audibly on those who have paid and others
outstanding.

The unedited trending videos exposed the names of contractors,
projects and the voice of the purported bribe giver. It also has
the translation in English with dates and timelines. This time
around Governor Ganduje appeared in Black Kaftan with his clear
voice and that of the bribe giver.

Unlike the previous videos officially released by Daily
Nigerian, the latest trending videos are suspected to have been
released by other parties who could have had access to them after
copies were released on request to critical stakeholders,
especially security agencies and Kano State House of Assembly.

By PRNigeria