Daybreak, Politics, Entertainment, Sport

Tag: Minimum wage

  • South Africa increases minimum wage to N105,400 monthly

    South Africa increases minimum wage to N105,400 monthly

    The Government of South Africa has approved an increment in its National Minimum Wage for workers from 20,76 Rand to R21,69 Rand (577 naira) per hour.

    This was disclosed by the country’s Employment and Labour Minister, TW Nxesi, in a statement on Tuesday.

    Mr. Nwexi said the increment is “for the year 2021” and it is “with effect from 01 March 2021.”

    The Minister said the decision of Government to adjust workers’ salaries was hinged on certain prevailing circumstances having direct impact on the citizens as well as the economy.

    He said “In considering the annual adjustment, the Commission consider the following factors: inflation, the cost of living, and the need to retain the value of the minimum wage; gross domestic product; wage levels and collective bargaining outcomes; productivity; ability of employers to carry on their businesses successfully; the operation of small, medium or micro-enterprises and new enterprises; likely impact of the recommendation adjustment on employment or the creation of employment.

    “For a transitional phase, the farm worker sector has been aligned with the NMW rate of R21,69 per hour, while domestic workers sector will be entitled to R19,09 per hour” he said.

    Mr. Nwexi added that workers on expanded public works programme will get “R11,93 per hour”.

    In Nigeria, workers minimum wage was previously fixed at 18,000 naira monthly, but the President Muhammadu Buhari administration on April 18,2019, signed into law a bill increasing the nation’s minimum wage to 30,000 naira.

    But while some states are already paying the minimum wage, some are yet to pay such amount.

    The South African economy is said to be the second largest in Africa behind Nigeria, but the most industrialized, technologically advanced and diversified economy on the continent.

    While Nigeria remains the largest economy in Africa by Gross Domestic Product (GDP), South Africa is the strongest in Africa because of its massive infrastructure development, investment inflow and foreign exchange earnings.

  • Ganduje Stops N30,000 Minimum Wage, Reverts to N18,000

    Ganduje Stops N30,000 Minimum Wage, Reverts to N18,000

    Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State has reverted to the former minimum wage of N18,000 for its workers.

    In an interview yesterday, spokesperson to the governor, Salihu Tanko-Yakasai, said the state government has also stopped the payment of N30,000 minimum wage to its workers.

    Tanko-Yakasai said the reason for the action is due to the recession caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

    He added that the state is unable to continue paying N30,000 because what the state is getting now as a government has reduced.

    “The state government has reverted to the initial minimum pay due to the recession. What we are getting now as a government has reduced, and we can’t afford to pay the N30,000 minimum wage,” he told reporters.

  • Kwara LGs may not be able to pay new minimum wage-Abdulrazaq

    Kwara LGs may not be able to pay new minimum wage-Abdulrazaq

    Ilorin, March 13, 2020  Gov. Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq of Kwara says  the 16 local government councils in the state may not be able to pay the N30,000 minimum wage.

    The governor made this known on Friday in Ilorin at a meeting he held with labour leaders on the minimum wage.

    A statement by the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Rafiu Ajakaye, quoted Abdulrazaq as saying that he was hesitant to sign the minimum wage deal with labour leaders based on the table that the negotiation panel had proposed.

    Abdulrazaq told the labour leaders that he was ready to sign the package if he would not be held responsible for the inability of local governments to pay the minimum wage.

    The governor observed that the councils were at present struggling to pay the N18, 000 minimum wage and even had to draw from their savings and IGR before paying February salary.

    He said he did not want a situation whereby local governments would be paying 40 percent of workers’ salary as a result of paucity of fund.

    “Now moving forward with the new minimum wage, we do not want a repeat of that situation; we want everybody to get their salaries as and when due.

    “We found out that the local governments cannot pay the scale which we are looking at and ready to sign.

    “The understanding is that the state and local government must pay on the same template/scale.

    “If it is about going ahead and signing what is popular, I can sign today. But it is a choice between signing or doing what is popular and what is right or practicable.

    “I can sign a popular deal today with the unions, but by January next year, the local governments would be owing their staff close to N8 billion.

    “Then that is when the major strike will come in. This is something I really do not want.

    “We therefore need to mitigate the situation and find a lasting solution to what we are doing.

    “For example, the local governments struggled to pay the salary for January and February,” the governor said.

    Abdulrazaq, however, said that since he became governor, money meant for the 16 local governments had been released to them in full.

    “Since we came on board, this administration has not touched a kobo of the local government allocation.

    “This is something all of you can testify to. I stand by this. We have allowed LGs to have control of their money,” he said.

    “And since we came in that is what has been happening. Nobody has touched local governments’ monies.

    “We didn’t give it to them and went back to take the money away from them.

    “So they have their money to spend and they have been making savings and the savings simply came from the fact that the DPMs have a spending limit.

    “So it is with these savings and their IGR that they were able to augment the shortfall in their salaries in January and February.

    “The salary we are talking about is the N18, 000 minimum wage. So if they are struggling to pay N18, 000 minimum wage, how do they pay N30, 000 minimum wage?

    “That is a big challenge to us. The other big challenge is that we can see the way the global economy is. Our budget had been predicated on $57 per barrel but oil is now below $35 per barrel,” he said.

    Kolawole Olumo, the Chairman of the Trade Union Congress in the state, appealed to the governor to sign the deal, assuring him that nobody would hold him responsible if local councils could not pay the N30, 000.

    According to him, the governor should leave the local government authorities to draw up the modalities to pay the minimum wage.

    “Whatever is payable at the local government will be it in as much as the autonomy is there and it is our money, we will accept it.

    “It has been done before. Nobody is going to blame you for anything. Nobody is going to put the arrears on your head. Nobody is going to tell you that you are indebted to us for this.

    “Right in this hall, Your Excellency, workers of local governments are telling you to let us sign this deal,” Oluomo said.

    According to Oluomo, local councils would be able to pay if proper staff auditing was done and the unions were involved in the exercise.

    The Chairman of the Joint Negotiation Council and NULGE President, Yusuf Salihu, expressed support for the TUC chairman’s submission.

    He urged the governor to sign the deal, saying thorough screening would be done to remove ghost workers from the payroll.

  • Minimum wage: Kebbi workers suspend planned strike

    Minimum wage: Kebbi workers suspend planned strike

    The Organised Labour in Kebbi has announced the immediate suspension of its strike notice, which was to take effect on Tuesday over delay in the implementation of the national minimum wage.
    The workers unions issued the strike notice on Feb. 27.
    However, Umar Alhassan, state Chairman of Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), said that the strike notice had been withdrawn as the state government had agreed to the workers demands.
    Alhasan made the announcement when he briefed newsmen after the union’s Executive Council meeting in Birnin Kebbi on Monday.
    “The state government has agreed with our demands on minimum wage and consequential adjustment, payment of 2019 leave grant, annual increment and payment of retirement benefits.
    “The  government has agreed to set up a committee on minimum wage and consequential adjustments, and will be inaugurated today.
    “On 2019 leave grant, the state government workers from GL 1 – 6 are going to receive their grant today.
    “On annual increment, by the end of this month, our members are going to receive their payment while on retirement benefits a standing committee will commence sorting out of genuine members and process their payment soon,” he said.
    Alhassan appealed to civil servants on Grade Level 7 and above to exercise patience, saying the payment of their leave grant would commence soon.
    “In as much as we want our members to have a conducive working environment and atmosphere, we will not be unmindful with present reality of the situation.
    “The civil servants on GL. 7 and above will not be getting their leave grant today, due to paucity of funds, as said by the government representatives in the discussion.
    “We have agreed that civil servants on those grade levels will get their own later,” the chairman said. (NAN).
  • APC seeks full implementation of minimum wage in Anambra

    APC seeks full implementation of minimum wage in Anambra

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) has urged Anambra  Government to implement the agreement reached with the organised labour on the new minimum wage.

    Chief Basil Ejidike, the state’s APC Chairman said this in an interview with our correspondents in Awka on Thursday.

    The state government on Jan. 24 signed an agreement with the organised labour on the implementation of the N30, 000 minimum wage to its workers.

    However, on Feb. 3, the organised labour addressed the media where it threatened to embark on industrial action if government failed to honour the agreement.

    Ejidike said the APC was worried by the development and urged all parties to respect the agreement reached to avoid industrial action.

    He said if the state had the political will to sign the agreement and take the credit for being one of the first to implement the new minimum wage, it should also demonstrate good faith by implementing it to the latter.

    ‘`Government is just playing politics with workers’ welfare, we can say it is all propaganda, you don’t add N4, 000 to workers’ salaries and claim to have paid minimum wage.

    “They have enjoyed the accolade of being the first to sign minimum wage agreement but the workers are not enjoying the benefit, so we are joining the workers to demand full implementation of the new wage policy.

    “Workers are important to us, they belong to our families and determine the economic viability of the state, so what affects them affects us too,” he said.

    But Mr Chinedu Obigwe, National Co-ordinator of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) Media Warriors’ Forum said that workers in the state had received their salaries as agreed.

  • Minimum wage: Organised labour in Niger to begin strike Feb. 4

    Minimum wage: Organised labour in Niger to begin strike Feb. 4

    Organised labour in Niger state on Monday, directed workers to embark on an indefinite strike from February 4, over non implementation of the new national minimum wage and other entitlements.
    The directive was contained in statement jointly signed by Mr Yakubu Garba, chairman Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), his Trade Union Congress (TUC) counterparts Yunusa Tanimu and made available to newsmen in Minna.
    According to the statement, organized labour in the state had met at an emergency joint State Executive Council (SEC) on Jan. 29 to resolve on a notice of 21 days ultimatum of strike action issued to the government on Jan. 3, 2020.
    “In compliance with the resolutions reached at the emergency joint State Executive Council (SEC) meeting of Niger state organised labour held at Labour House on Wednesday; 29th January, 2020.
    “We write to formally inform you that all civil servants in Niger state are by be this notice directed to proceed on an indefinite strike action with effect from midnight February 4, 2020, ” it read.
    The statement said the strike would be comprehensive shall remain in force till the state government “demonstrate a clear and adequate commitment” to tackling lingering issues bothering on workers’ welfare.
    Part of the demands of labour included the immediate implementation of the N30,000 National Minimum wage, it’s consequential adjustment and accrued arrears to all categories of workers both at the state and local government levels.
    They are also calling for the immediate resumption of payment of outstanding annual leave grant for 2019 to deserving workers at both state and local government level as well as a clear commitment from the state government on pension policy in the interest of workers.
    Efforts by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) to get the reaction of state Head of Service, Hajiya Salamatu Abubakar on the matter was not successful as she was not in the office and her mobile telephone line was not going through.
    Meanwhile, at the time of filling this Mr Yakubu Garba, chairman NLC in the state told NAN that the organised labour was open and willing to meet with the government. (NAN)

  • Enugu state to commence payment of N30,000 Minimum Wage February

    Enugu state to commence payment of N30,000 Minimum Wage February

    Enugu State Government approves payment of N30,000 Minimum Wage for state workers with effect from February, 2020. Following the submission of the report of the joint committee of labour and the state government set up by Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, for the negotiation of the consequential adjustment of the N30,000 Minimum Wage, the Enugu State Executive Council (EXCO) has approved the payment of the new wage for the state workers with effect from February 2020.

    Briefing newsmen at the Government House, Enugu, after a meeting with the Council, the leadership of the Organized Labour led by the Chairman of the Joint Public Service Negotiating Council, Comrade Igbokwe Chukwuma Igbokwe, said that the EXCO’s approval was a product of collective bargaining between the labour and the state government. Comrade Igbokwe, who noted that this is the first time the labour was involved in the issue of Minimum Wage negotiation, disclosed that they are comfortable with the decision reached.

  • Gov. Obiano begins payment of N30,000 new minimum wage in January

    Gov. Obiano begins payment of N30,000 new minimum wage in January

    Anambra State Government says it has concluded arrangements to pay N30, 000 as the new minimum wage for workers in the state beginning from January, 2020.

    The decision was arrived at after series of meetings and discussions between the state government and Joint Public Service Negotiating Council (JNC) on the payment of new minimum wage to public sector workers on Friday.

    The Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Solo Chukwulobelu, told newsmen after the meeting that an agreement had been reached on the implementation of the new minimum wage.

    “After series of meetings with the organised labour, we are pleased to announce that today, we have reached an agreement on the implementation of the new minimum wage and the consequential adjustments with effect from Jan. 1, 2020, ” he said.

    Earlier, Mr Ijemba Jibike, State Chairman of JNC, said necessary terms of settlement and agreement were reached at the end of the meeting.

    “The National Joint Public Service Negotiating Council (NJPSNC) and the Federal Government’s Negotiations and Consequential Adjustment of Salaries had produced the following figures on Consolidated Public Service Salary Structure (CONPSS):

    “GL. 01-06=N30,000; GL. 07=23.2 per cent; GL. 08=20 per cent; GL. 09=19 per cent; GL. 10-14=16 per cent and GL. 15-17=14 per cent’’.

    Jibike, however, said that the state government had agreed to pay N30,000 as the new minimum wage.

    “Gov. Obiano is a product of the service and he understands how to administer the needs of workers in the state.

    “He will be the first governor that has ever negotiated the payment of minimum wage regime to workers in the state.

    “Today, he has created a template upon which governors coming after him will work with.

    “This document we have signed today is a working document that we can refer to in our subsequent negotiations.

    “There is a provision in the new minimum wage document that as we work hard to improve the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), the salary regime will also improve.

    “So, we are satisfied and we thank the state government,” he said.

    Jibike promised that the public service workers would assist the government to improve the revenue profile of the state,” he said. (NAN)

  • Katsina Govt. to spend N401m monthly on minimum wage

    Katsina Govt. to spend N401m monthly on minimum wage

    Katsina State Government says payment of the new minimum wage to workers in the state would cost it additional N401 million monthly.
    The state’s Commissioner for Budget and Economic Planning, Alhaji Faruq Lawal-Jobe, disclosed this on Wednesday in Katsina while briefing newsmen on the outcome of the State Executive Council meeting.
    He said that the payment of the minimum wage would begin as from January 2020.
    Lawal-Jobe added that the payment would cover workers in the state service, local government councils and State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB).
    The commissioner pointed out that government had fulfilled its side of the bargain by implementing the new wage and called on the labour to reciprocate through increased productivity.
    He further urged the labour and workers to assist government in boosting its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) to enable it shoulder the responsibility of paying salaries and executing development projects.
    “Workers must also ensure that they report to work early and close at stipulated time, to enable government continue shouldering its responsibilities,” he said.
    He, however, lamented on the attitude of some tax defaulters in the state, warning that government would soon go after them by forcing them to pay what is due to it.(NAN)

  • Benue govt. says negotiations on N30,000 minimum wage still ongoing

    Benue govt. says negotiations on N30,000 minimum wage still ongoing

    The Benue Government on Friday said that negotiations on the N30,000 new minimum wage for workers in the state had not been concluded.

    Prof. Anthony Ijohor, Secretary of the State Government, made the clarification in a statement issued to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Makurdi.

    He was reacting to reports that a member of the New Minimum Wage Negotiation Committee had claimed, in a social media post, that the negotiations had been concluded.

    According to him, the Benue government and labour unions are still negotiating on the issue.

    “It is necessary to state that negotiations between Benue government and labour unions on implementation of the N30,000 minimum wage have not been concluded.

    “The member of the State Government Committee on the New Minimum Wage, who posted on social media that the negotiations have been concluded and approval given, did so in haste and error, and has since been told to retract the report.

    “We wonder why the committee member rushed to the media with the report when we and labour leaders are still meeting to agree on the new minimum wage for workers of the state.

    “Our administration has presented its proposal and labour leaders have given assurance that they will study the proposal and get back to government,” he said.

    The statement further called for patience on the new minimum wage, stating that all grey areas would soon be ironed out in the best interest of the state. (NAN)