The National President of the National Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, has described the federal government increase of civil servants by 35% as mischievous, insisting that the minimum wage should not be below N615,000

Ajaero who made this statement in an interview with Channels TV on Wednesday, said the federal government should pay workers a “living wage.”  

According to the union boss, a living wage is such that at least keep the workers alive for the month, without resorting to borrowing and malnutrition.  

Ajaero said the President promised to pay a living wage, and it was legislated upon by the National Assembly.  

However, he said the government is yet to reconvene a meeting with the organized labour after they submitted a report of N615,000 to the government as the amount for living wage. 

“And the last minimum wage of N30,000 expired on the 18th of April. By now, we assume today on the regime of a new minimum wage.

“Discussions were supposed to be concluded. The national assembly legislated on it before now. The discussion entered voicemail because the federal government refused to reconvene the meeting that was adjourned.

We had public hearing in the six geopolitical zones and we came back to collate the submission. And the committee asked NLC and TUC to do their submission which they did and came up to about N615,000.

“The moment they got that up till this moment, no meeting has taken place.

“Living wage is such a wage that will at least keep you alive. That should be N615,000.”

Speaking further, Ajaero further broke down the proposed living wage to the federal government.  

He said this wage will cover things such as utility bill payment, transportation, feeding, hospital, electricity and education, among others. 

“We are asking for accommodation of N40,000. We are asking for electricity for N20,000. We look at utility that is about N10,000 and kerosene and gas which is about N25,000 and N30,000.

“We look at food for N9,000 for the family of six, in a day. For thirty days, that’s about N270,000. We look at medical for N50,000  and education N50,000, and sanitization for N10,000.

“Because of subsidy removal and the fact that workers stay in fringes, that amounted to N110,000. That brought the whole thing to N615,000. And I want anybody to subject this to further investigation and find out if there will be any savings after these payments”, Ajaero added.

On Tuesday, the Federal Government approved an increase in salaries across various salary structures in a move aimed at boosting the welfare of civil servants.

These salary structures include the Consolidated Public Service Salary Structure (CONPSS), Consolidated Research and Allied Institutions Salary Structure (CONRAISS), Consolidated Police Salary Structure (CONPOSS), Consolidated Para-military Salary Structure (CONPASS), Consolidated Intelligence Community Salary Structure (CONICCS), and Consolidated Armed Forces Salary Structure (CONAFSS).

Nairametrics

The Federal government has approved a salary increase of between 25 percent and 35 percent for civil servants on the remaining six Consolidated Salary Structures.

The Head of Press, National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC), Mr. Emmanuel Njoku, disclosed this through a statement on Tuesday in Abuja.

He said: “The Federal Government has approved an increase of between 25 percent and 35 percent in salary increase for civil servants on the remaining six Consolidated Salary Structures.

“They include Consolidated Public Service Salary Structure (CONPSS), Consolidated Research and Allied Institutions Salary Structure (CONRAISS), and Consolidated Police Salary Structure (CONPOSS).

“Others are Consolidated Para-military Salary Structure (CONPASS), Consolidated Intelligence Community Salary Structure (CONICCS), and Consolidated Armed Forces Salary Structure (CONAFSS).

“The increases will take effect from January 1.”

Njoku revealed that the Federal government has also approved increase pension increase of between 20 percent and 28 percent for pensioners on the Defined Benefits Scheme.

He added that the increase is on the six consolidated salary structures and would also take effect from January 1.

The move, according to him, is in line with the provisions of Section 173(3) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

The official recalled that those in the tertiary education and health sectors had already received their increases.

“This involves Consolidated University Academic Salary Structure (CONUASS) and Consolidated Tertiary Institutions Salary Structure (CONTISS) for universities.

“For Polytechnics and Colleges of Education, it involves the Consolidated Polytechnics and Colleges of Education Academic Staff Salary Structure (CONPCASS) and Consolidated Tertiary Educational Institutions Salary Structure (CONTEDISS).

“The Health Sector also benefitted through the Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) and Consolidated Health Sector Salary Structure (CONHESS),” Njoku added.

Ahead his one year anniversary in office on May 29, Abia State governor Alex Otti, has been endorsed by the leadership of the Labour Party (LP) in the State and the 17 LGAs.

The unanimous vote of confidence was passed during an enlarged meeting, which was attended by the governor, the entire party hierarchy in the State, all political appointees in the state executive cabinet, elected members at the national and Abia State House of Assembly.

The motion for the vote of confidence was moved by Obi Aguocha, the member representing the Ikwuano-Umuahia Federal constituency, who said that Otti has made the party proud in the past 11 months in office by surpassing expectations.

The motion at the meeting, which was convened at the governor’s residence, was supported by the member representing Obingwa-Osisioma-Ugwunagbo federal constituency, Munachim Alozie, with the Speaker of Abia State House of Assembly, Emmanuel Emeruwa, putting the decision to a vote.

The meeting, according to stakeholders, was called primarily for the party hierarchy in the State and the local government areas to familiarise themselves with the various appointees of government, including members of the State Executive Council and local government.

Governor Otti, who said he was surprised at the show of solidarity and confidence by his party leadership and other stakeholders, expressed gratitude to God that people have taken note of the modest achievements recorded by his administration in less than one year in office.

The governor informed the meeting that he met Abia at sub-zero level and said that Abia citizens were ashamed to introduce themselves as citizens of the State.

“Today, everywhere you introduce yourself as an Abian, people look at you differently with respect, unlike in the past, ” said Otti.