Buhari, 36 Govs Dragged To Court Over Refusal To Pay N30, 000 New Minimum Wage

A group under the eagis of Incorporated Trustees of Kingdom
Human Rights Foundation International, on Thursday, dragged
President Muhammadu Buhari, the Minister of Labour and
Productivity, Dr. Chris Ngige, as well as Governors of all the 36
States of the Federation to court over delay in the implementation
of the proposed N30, 000 new minimum wage for Nigerian workers.

The organization, in the suit it filed before the National
Industrial Court in Abuja, equally cited as the Attorney General of
Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami, SAN, the
Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, National
Salaries, Income and Wages Commission, the National Assembly of
Nigeria, as Defendants in the matter.

Other Defendants in the suit marked NICN/ABJ/286/18, are the
Nigerian Labour Congress, Trade Union Congress and United Labour
Congress.

The group, aside seeking a court order to compel FG and all the
36 governors to pay the new minimum wage, also applied for an order
to restrain the organised labour from going ahead with its plan to
embark on a strike action from November 6.

Basically, the Plaintiff, prayed the court to determine;
“Whether in view of the economic realities, hardship and pauperized
squalor living condition of Nigerian masses, the payment of the
paltry sum of eighteen thousand naira (N18,000.00) monthly National
Minimum Wage to the lowest category of workers In Nigeria is
adequate to take care of an average worker and his family; and
whether eighteen thousand naira (N18,000.00) monthly National
Minimum Wage is reasonably justifiable in a democracy society, if
juxtapose with huge, excessive, outrageous and disproportionate
salaries, emoluments, allowances, impress and arrears paid to the
political office holders, and Heads of Governments Agencies and
Parastatals.

“Whether the refusal, neglect, insensitivity and unyielding
attitude of the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Governments
of the and 36 States of the Federation, to the plight and welfare
of Nigerian workers, and failure to reach accord with the organized
Labour on the payment of thirty thousand (N30,000.000) new minimum
wage for the lowest paid worker in Nigeria, agreed by the
Tripartite-committee on the payment of the new minimum wage is
reasonably justifiable in a democratic society.

“Whether the Federal Republic of Nigeria can afford a total and
indefinite industrial action that will cripple the entire
socio-economic activities at this critical period of democratic
transition and preparation for the 2019 General Election, with one
thousand estimated pre-election cases pending in various Court in
Nigeria.

“Whether in view of the combined reading of sections 33, 39,40,
45 (1) (a) and (b) right to freedom of association and expression
and the right to form and belong to a trade unions/ professional
association, for the protection of the interest of the members of
the union in relation to labour matters, Trade Dispute, employment,
trade unions, industrial relations, trade dispute, and issues
concerning national minimum wage and payment of salaries,
allowances and wages is absolute and can be restricted in the
overriding National interest”.

Upon determination of the questions, it is praying the court to
declare “that the paltry sum of eighteen thousand naira
(N18,000.00) monthly National Minimum Wage to the lowest category
of workers In Nigeria is INADEQUATE to take care of an average
worker and his family and that the eighteen thousand naira
(N18,000.00) monthly National Minimum Wage is grossly inadequate,
if juxtapose with huge, excessive, outrageous and disproportionate
salaries, emoluments, allowances, impress and arrears paid to the
political office holders, and heads of governments agencies and
parastatals.

“A declaration that the refusal, neglect, insensitivity and
unyielding attitude of the Federal Government of Nigeria and the
Governments of the and 36 States of the Federation, to the plight
and welfare of Nigerian workers, and failure to reach accord with
the organized Labour on the payment of thirty thousand
(N30,000.000) new minimum wage for the lowest paid worker in
Nigeria, agreed by the Tripartite-committee on the payment of the
new minimum wage is unjust, inhumane, wicked, callous, fiendish and
breach of the social contract theory.

“A declaration that the Federal Republic of Nigeria cannot
afford another TOTAL AND INDEFINITE INDUSTRIAL ACTION that will
cripple the entire socio-economic activities of the Nation, at this
critical period of democratic transition and preparation for the
2019 General Election, with one thousand estimated pre-election
cases pending in various Court in Nigeria.

“A declaration that in view of the combined reading of sections
33, 39,40, 45 (1) (a) and (b) read alongside the entire provisions
of the Trade Dispute Act, right to freedom of association and
expression and the right to form and belong to a trade unions/
professional association, for the protection of the interest of the
members of the union in relation to labour matters, Trade Dispute,
employment, trade unions, industrial relations, and issues
concerning national minimum wage and payment of salaries,
allowances and wages is not absolute and can be restricted in the
overriding National interest.

“AN order of the court compelling and mandating Federal
Government of Nigeria and the Governments of the and 36 States of
the Federation, to immediately commence the process of implementing
the payment of thirty thousand (N30,000.000) new minimum wage for
the lowest paid workers in Nigeria as agreed by the
Tripartite-committee, including mandating the President of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Attorney General of the
Federation to immediately draft and transmit N30,000.000 Minimum
Wage Amendment Bill to the National Assembly.

“An order of the court compelling and mandating Federal
Government of Nigeria and the Governments of the and 36 States of
the Federation, to immediately commence the process of implementing
the payment of thirty thousand (N30,000.000) new minimum wage for
the lowest paid workers in Nigeria as agreed by the
Tripartite-committee, including proposing amendment to Revenue
Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission Act, and all extant
laws, and regulations on the appropriate remuneration to political
office holders, to immediately reduce by 50 percent, the
unnecessary high cost of governance, outrageous and unaccountable
security votes, needless number of motor convoys, high number of
redundant and useless political appointees, unnecessary travel
expenses/allowances, senseless religious patronage and sponsorship
to pilgrimages, excessive and inflated contract awards, outrageous
salaries, arrears, allowances of all elected and appointed
political office holders In Nigeria.

As well as, “An order restraining the Nigerian Labour Congress,
Trade Union Congress and United Labour Congress or any other Labour
Union howsoever called, from embarking to on November 6th 2018
proposed indefinite strike action which will cripple socio-economic
activities of Nigerian, at this critical period of democratic
transition, with several pre-election matters pending in various
High Courts across Nigeria; and to continue to engage, negotiate,
and dialogue with the Federal and State Governments, and the
organized private sector on the best possible ways and modalities
to implement the agreed N30,000.00 (third thousand naira) minimum
wage for the lowest paid Nigerian workers”.

Army Division Trains 197 Officers Human
Capacity
The General Officer Commanding (GOC), 1 Division Nigerian Army
(NA), Major General Mohammed Mohammed urged the Warrant officers
and Senior Non- Commissioned officers (WOs/SNCOs) to be effective
prime movers of the activities in the Nigerian Army.

He stated this when he declared the WOs/SNCOs Training Day 2018
opened in Kaduna.

General Mohammed revealed that, the training will ensure that
the WOs and SNCOs are not left out in the current capacity
development drive of the NA.

He added that the training is designed to aptly reflect and
capture the COAS Vision by being professionally responsive in the
discharge of their duties.

The GOC implored them to exploit this unique opportunities and
apply the knowledge acquired to be able to pass clear instructions
to their subordinates in the field.

“The Training Day is specifically organized to develop the
mental capacity of the WOs and SNCOs, so as to enrich their overall
effectiveness,” he stressed.

The training day is part of 1 Division training activities for
the year 2018. A total of One Hundred and Ninety Seven (197)
participants were drawn from formations and units under 1 Division
Area of Responsibility (AOR).

During the training, series of lectures and interactive season
were presented and handled by selected senior officers and Army
Warrant officers respectively. The theme for this year’s Training
Day is Enhancing Professionalism Through Effective Leadership by
WO/SNCOs in the NA.

Colonel Muhammad Dole
Deputy Director, Army Public Relations
Kaduna