Reacting
to the disagreement that ensued with Labour leaders on the percentage of
increment for senior workers after the Federal Government started
paying workers on Grade Levels 1 to 6 the N30,000 minimum wage, the
Minister said the Nigerian economy will grind to a halt like that of Venezuela
if it gives in to the labour union demands.
 |
| Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige |
Ngige
further highlighted that there will be unavailability of money to build roads, airports, rails, health
centres and schools if the Federal Government
gives in to the labour union demands as
payment of salaries to 1.4 million workers in federal public service will
take 33 per cent of the 2020 budget.
Urging labour leaders to accept the Federal Government’s proposal,
the Labour Minister added that he will not sit back and watch them intimidate
Nigerian leaders. He said:
“We
cannot allow government to shut down the economy because it wants to pay
salaries and wages. The 2020 Budget of N10.3 trillion has N3.8 trillion as
personnel cost without overhead. If you add running cost and other incidental
costs, the total recurrent budget as presented to the National Assembly has
taken 76 per cent. Where do we get the money to build roads, airport, rails,
health centres, schools etc.
“It
is a matter of balancing a budget that is 76 per cent recurrent and 24 per cent
capital, for me, it is nothing to cheer about. In the 76 per cent, government
has captured N200 billion for consequential adjustment for the minimum wage and
so on. These are all part of personnel. N160 billion is for consequential
adjustment of the minimum wage and not total package of workers’ salaries.
Everybody has to make sacrifice. We must plug leakages.
“The
ghost workers should go and we should know who the real workers are. As of
today, we have 1.3 million persons in the federal civil service and maybe it
will be more by the time we finish bringing everybody into the IPPS.
“The number of workers, 1.4 million or 1.5 million out of 200
million people take 33 per cent of the budget which has deficit. It is
important we know this. It is up to us to use all the money to pay salaries and
the economy will grind to a halt and be like Venezuela” Ngige said while receiving
members of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) led by
its National President, Ibrahim Khaleel.
“We
must give government benefit of the doubt. I am for labour and I will not sit
and watch the being cheated. I will also not seat and watch labour intimidate
government. If you dangle strike, it is intimidation and ILO Convention does
not permit it.
“People should negotiate freely. If government threatens you in
the course of negotiation, it is intimidation.
“I
am your friend and friend of government. In fact, government feels I am not
doing enough. That is why I am talking to you so that you can talk to your
people,” he added.
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