There are clear indications now that workers at the Federal level and Lagos
State will begin collecting the N30, 000 Minimum Wage by December this year.
The Association of the Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) Tuesday in
Abeokuta at its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting confirmed that both
the federal government and Lagos State workers will have a bumper salary in
December.
This is even as it has warned that it would move to states in January to
shut down the erring ones who fail to conclude the consequential negotiation by
the December deadline issued by the two labour centres.
The President of the union, Bobboi Bala Kaigama said the states that are
yet to commence negotiations should take a clue from Kaduna state that has
commenced payment even before the consequential adjustment was concluded at the
federal level.
He said, “At the states level, we know the game they want to play and we
are ready for them. Labour will take joint action against those states. The law
of Minimum Wage is explicit, unlike before, now defaulting states can be
prosecuted. This time around they have no escape route.”
The ASCSN President said Kaduna state government has played safe because
it’s paying more than what was negotiated at the federal in spite that it
commenced payment early.
He however warned that by January, the union will start taking stock to get
the defaulting states and take appropriate action against them.
On the payment of the consequential adjustment at the federal and Lagos
State, the Secretary General of the Association, Bashir Alade Lawal said the
union has it on good authority that workers would be paid in December.
He noted that the table which had delayed the payment finally came out last
week Monday, but it was too late for the November salary.
The Secretary General said the payment will also take care of all the
arrears from April when it was signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari.
He maintained that the union would ensure that all the workers be it
federal and the states enjoy the new wage.
Meanwhile the Ogun State Governor, Dapo Abiodun represented at the meeting
by his Deputy, Noimot Salako-Oyedele promised that the consequential adjustment
negotiation at the state would be seamless.
The state has explained that the delay in the negotiation at the state was
due to the Treasury meeting which has just been concluded.
According to the state, the Treasury meeting was important to enable the
state knows the state of its finances before moving to the negotiation table.
