Minimum Wage issue: PENGASSAN Tells FG …Labour ‘’ll Not Accept Less Than N30,000 -Ajaero

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has urged the Federal, state governments and the organised private sector to resolve the differences in the ongoing negotiation for a new national minimum wage.

The National President of the Union, Mr Olabode Johnson made the appeal on Tuesday in Abuja while addressing newsmen on its planned 40th anniversary.

He described as ungodly, the shenanigans displayed by some state governors when it comes to payment of workers’ salaries.
“ We need to give priority to the issue of minimum wage now before the political campaigns starts in full by next month, all parties need to agree on a particular amount on this issue.”
According to him, PENGASSAN believes that the Federal and state governments have the capacity to resolve the minimum wage issue before campaigns start, so that it can be passed into law.

“PENGASSAN, as an affiliate of the Trade Union Congress, TUC, we are also bound to look at the dictates of the agreement.

“ When you look at the issue of the new minimum wage, you will agree that it is long overdue. You must be able to give Nigerians a minimum wage. Look at the current hardship, look at depreciation; look at what everybody is facing.

“I also want to appeal to the Federal and state governments, Nigeria Employers Consultative Assembly and other stakeholders, that a stitch in time saves nine.
“ Whatever everybody is supposed to do, because, by the end of November, politics will start; now is the time to do everything we have to do in that regard,’’ he said
He added: “ for every state that has political appointees, I have never seen that they are been owed salaries.

“ On the issue of minimum wage, we want to appeal to government to give it priority.
“Let this bickering of N24,000, N25,000 and N30,000 be sorted out, so that you don’t create an impression with Nigerians that you are insensitive to their plights. Let us pay everybody his or her due.”

On the planned 40th anniversary of the union on October 18, he said that President Muhammadu Buhari, would be the special guest of honour.

He listed others expected at the event to include, Aliko Dangote, Dr Maikanti Baru, the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, state governors, chief executive officers of international oil companies and security experts.
Johnson noted that past labour leaders who fought for the actualisation of June 12 would also be recognized at the anniversary.

He added that the union would unveil its world class event center during the event, and would employ qualified Nigerians to run and mange the operation of the center.

He said that the conference has the theme: ‘Labour, fuelling the economy.’

Meanwhile, a labour leader, Mr Joe Ajaero, yesterday said that the organised labour would never sign any agreement with the Federal Government on new National Minimum Wage which is less than N30, 000. “N24, 000 can never be the new Minimum Wage for workers. If the government pays it, then it is an award,” Ajaero, President, United Labour Congress (ULC), said.

Youth group writes Mimiko, calls for his exit from Labour Party, Ajaero told the Newsmen in Lagos that the tripartite committee agreed that N30, 000 would be paid at the end of its negotiation as the New Minimum Wage for workers. He said it was sad that N30, 000 was adopted by the tripartite committee but the representatives of government announced N24, 000.

NLC The labour leader said that the organised labour would stand against it and would not sign any document, which does not reflect the true deliberation by the tripartite committee. He said that the committee had concluded its meeting on the new wage and labour was expecting the government to invite them to sign an agreement on the decision.

“No more meetings. A date has been fixed to sign an agreement on the figure agreed. On that day, if the amount is not what the tripartite committee agreed, the organised labour will not sign,” he said.

Recalls that on Nov. 27, 2017, President Muhammadu Buhari, approved the appointment of a 30-member tripartite National Minimum Wage Committee for the negotiation of a new national minimum wage for the country. Labour collectively demanded for N65, 000 per month as the new Minimum Wage for all workers as harmonized by the organised labour.

However, after many delays on reaching an agreement on the figure for a new wage, the NLC, TUC and the ULC on Sept. 26 went on a two-day nationwide warning strike, to protest government’s delay on the wage by not allowing the committee conclude its job.