Imo, Benue, Eight Others Yet To Implement Minimum Wage

Despite the passage of new N30, 000 national minimum wage
approved by the federal government since October 2019, 10 states
consisting of Imo, Benue, Anambra Kano, Bauchi, Kebbi, Kogi,
Nasarawa, Taraba and Zamfara are yet to implement the new national
minimum wage, a survey by the Association of Senior Civil Servants
of Nigeria (ASCSN) has said.

Speaking at a media briefing in Lagos yesterday, the Acting
National President of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of
Nigeria (ASCSN), Dr. Tommy Okon, said the association was working
towards the implementation and would soon unfold its plans since
the situation has gotten to a point of no return.

Okon, who gave an update on the implementation by some of the
states, noted that Anambra and Taraba states had concluded
negotiation, but had not begun implementation. He disclosed that
Bauchi, Benue, Kebbi, Kogi, Nasarawa and Zamfara states were still
on the process of negotiations, while Imo State is yet to begin
negotiation.

The ASCSN Acting President commended states that had concluded
negotiations and implemented, adding that not only had Kano State
commenced negotiation, but also reduced the salaries of
workers.

Okon further explained that it was an aberration for any
government to reduce or contemplate of not paying salaries that
were passed into law.

He hinted that labour had exhausted all mechanisms in industrial
relations and collective bargaining and would not hesitate to clamp
down on recalcitrant states.

According to him, “The state government is saying they cannot
pay and they have refused to tell us how much they spend on
security vote with the level of insecurity in the country. They
refused to tell us how many Personal Assistants they have, they
refused to tell how much they have used to feed their dogs
weekly.

The problem of industrial relations is not caused by the workers
themselves but by government. This is man-inhumanity to man.

“Why do you renege on agreement when you know that is a
potential time bomb? When we enter into agreement, it is a simple
rule of collective bargaining. We have arrived at a collective
agreement and you are reneging without informing the parties
involved and see how we can discuss periodically.

“It is important to emphasise that the association has remained
focused in pursuing welfare interest of members. In this
connection, the Union has tabled the following labour issues before
the federal government and they are being processed. The labour
demanded for salary review in the civil service, the need for
compute annual leave of public servants in working days rather
calendar. We demand upward review of retirement age in the public
service to 65years or 40 years of service whichever comes
first.”

Despite the passage of new N30, 000 national minimum wage
approved by the federal government since October 2019, 10 states
consisting of Imo, Benue, Anambra Kano, Bauchi, Kebbi, Kogi,
Nasarawa, Taraba and Zamfara are yet to implement the new national
minimum wage, a survey by the Association of Senior Civil Servants
of Nigeria (ASCSN) has said.

Speaking at a media briefing in Lagos yesterday, the Acting
National President of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of
Nigeria (ASCSN), Dr. Tommy Okon, said the association was working
towards the implementation and would soon unfold its plans since
the situation has gotten to a point of no return.

Okon, who gave an update on the implementation by some of the
states, noted that Anambra and Taraba states had concluded
negotiation, but had not begun implementation. He disclosed that
Bauchi, Benue, Kebbi, Kogi, Nasarawa and Zamfara states were still
on the process of negotiations, while Imo State is yet to begin
negotiation.

The ASCSN Acting President commended states that had concluded
negotiations and implemented, adding that not only had Kano State
commenced negotiation, but also reduced the salaries of
workers.

Okon further explained that it was an aberration for any
government to reduce or contemplate of not paying salaries that
were passed into law.

He hinted that labour had exhausted all mechanisms in industrial
relations and collective bargaining and would not hesitate to clamp
down on recalcitrant states.

According to him, “The state government is saying they cannot
pay and they have refused to tell us how much they spend on
security vote with the level of insecurity in the country. They
refused to tell us how many Personal Assistants they have, they
refused to tell how much they have used to feed their dogs
weekly.

The problem of industrial relations is not caused by the workers
themselves but by government. This is man-inhumanity to man.

“Why do you renege on agreement when you know that is a
potential time bomb? When we enter into agreement, it is a simple
rule of collective bargaining. We have arrived at a collective
agreement and you are reneging without informing the parties
involved and see how we can discuss periodically.

“It is important to emphasise that the association has remained
focused in pursuing welfare interest of members. In this
connection, the Union has tabled the following labour issues before
the federal government and they are being processed. The labour
demanded for salary review in the civil service, the need for
compute annual leave of public servants in working days rather
calendar. We demand upward review of retirement age in the public
service to 65years or 40 years of service whichever comes
first.”