News

Private Sector Accepts FG N60,000 Minimum wage — MAN DG

Published

3 months ago

June 1, 2024

The Director-General of the Manufacturing Association of Nigeria, Ajayi Kadri, has confirmed that the organised private sector accepted the Federal Government’s proposal for a new minimum wage of N60,000.

Ajayi disclosed this during an interview with Channels TV in Abuja on Saturday.

He clarified that ongoing negotiations between the government, the private sector and labour were focused on establishing a minimum wage rather than a living wage which represents the lowest amount that can be paid to any worker in the country.

He also stressed that both labour and private businesses have been facing significant economic challenges, making it extremely difficult for them to meet the wage demands put forward by labour unions.

He stated, “To start with, this is a very difficult time for anyone to negotiate minimum wage. From the perspective of government, labour and organized private sector, we operate in an environment where there is general acceptance of the fact that the macroeconomics are not right, even the global economy is experiencing a lot of shakeups and the aftermath of government necessary reforms.

“From the beginning of the negotiations of the minimum wage, it’s evident to the tripartite— that is the government, labour, and organized private sector— that we are going to operate in a difficult terrain.

“Incidentally, the organized private sector and government have offered N60,000 as the minimum wage and I think it is very important for us to understand that what we are talking about is the minimum wage. That is what some people have called the walk-in wage. That is the amount we will pay the least workers in the country. It is the minimum wage we are negotiating, not a living wage,” Ajayi said.

Ajayi disclosed further that both the government and the private sector face significant constraints in fulfilling the proposed N419,000 living wage request.

He mentioned that the private sector, for example, is dealing with economic challenges and inflation, making it impossible to pay such an amount.

He also explained that this is not the most appropriate time for organized labor to negotiate a new minimum wage. Instead, they should collaborate with other stakeholders to strengthen the economy.

“All of us in the tripartite— the government, the labour, and the private sector — we all knew that we were operating in a very difficult environment. The government itself realized that it had limited capacity to pay. The private sector is constrained by microeconomic, infrastructure and security challenges. So, we are also constrained to pay.

“Labour on its part, is under intense pressure from its constituencies to ask for a higher wage because inflation has hit the roof and the operating environment is tough.

“Throughout the negotiation process, we made it known that this is not the best time to negotiate minimum wage. This is the time for us to agree, the crew behind the government, and grow the economy in such that we will bake a bigger cake and then we’ll be able to share,” the director general added.

He, however, appealed to the organised labour to reconsider its decision to embark on a nationwide strike.

He noted that the labour walking out of discussions and declaring strike would not help matters.

He added that it is unfortunate that labour rejected the N60,000 offer from the government and the organised private sector, choosing to declare a nationwide strike.

“We cannot afford to cripple the economy when all we needed to do was continue to build it. I think President Tinubu was very clear when he emerged as president that these are not going to be easy times and I think we needed to tighten our belts to deliver on economy that we know has been seriously battered,” Ajayi-Kadir said on Channels Television’s Sunrise programme on Saturday.

“Of course, the government on its own side has to demonstrate leadership, sensitivity and sense and sense of mind as well as the sense of occasion of the period that we are in. So, government expenditure, government choices of what needs to be done, how much to be spent, the cost of governance itself, all of it has to come to the table.

“I think what labour is actually worried about is that they appear to be the ones on the brunt of it but we needed to be able to engage, walking out on the process and declaring strike, I do not think that that is what is going to solve this issue,” he added.

On Friday, organised labour declared a nationwide indefinite strike over the Federal Government’s refusal to raise the proposed minimum wage from N60,000.

They claimed that the strike followed the expiration of an earlier request to the Federal Government to conclude all negotiations for a new minimum wage before the end of May.

News

Flood: Health Minister, Pate Provides Medical Outreach To Displaced People

Published

6 hours ago

September 14, 2024

Editor

Dr. Muhammad Ali-Pate, the Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare has provided medical outreach to flood victims in Bauchi state.

Speaking while inspecting the outreach in Misau and Katagum Local Government Areas of the state on Sunday, Pate said that the outreach was available to as many victims as possible.

According to him, the outreach was a collaboration of his privately funded Non-governmental organisation, Chigari foundation and the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA).

While visiting the temporary Internally Displaced Peoples (IDP)’s camp in Azare, the headquarters of Katagum LGA, the Minister lauded the diligence and professionalism exhibited by the medical practitioners attending to the people.

“The people are getting treatment for basic diseases like malaria, Pneumonia, hypertension, and others because in these difficult times, we have to do everything we can to provide relief to the people of our country.

“We have seen the tremendous work that is being carried out by health professionals collectively, medical doctors, pharmacists, nurses and lab scientists all trying to support our communities in this difficult time.

“Whoever comes for this outreach would be checked, examined, diagnosed and treated for free.

“Today, they have seen more than 1,200 people who have been tested and many of them are having malaria, Pneumonia, skin conditions and have been treated.

“It’s about access in an emergency situation and here we have internal displaced populations and we have to do everything we can to support our communities in this difficult time,” he said.

The Minister added that through Chigari foundation, all the nine local government areas affected by flood in the state would receive contributions.

He said that the foundation was also targeting to provide direct support to 250 people in each of the LGAs who were directly affected by flood.

Pate called on all well meaning Nigerians to join hands to help communities go through this difficult period across the country.

In his address, Dr. Yusuf Bappa, Chairman, Nigerian Medical Association, Bauchi state, explained that the outreach was about assisting people who were ravaged by the flood disaster that happened in this zone.

He said that over 1,000 children, women and men with various degrees of ailment have been treated at the temporary IDP camp, adding that those that could not be treated were referred to Federal Medical Centre, Azare for treatment.

Speaking on behalf of the beneficiaries, a 70 year-old Awawu Umaru, who appreciated the state government for providing them the temporary IDP camp, also expressed gratitude to the minister and NMA for giving them the free medical treatment.

News

BREAKING: Lagos Raises Boarding Fees By Over 100 Per Cent

Published

16 hours ago

September 13, 2024

Editor

The Lagos State Government has increased boarding fees in all secondary schools across the state from N35,000 to N100,000 per term.

A letter to all boarding school principals signed by the Director, Basic Education Services, Lagos State Ministry of Basic and Secondary Education, Olufemi Asaolu, and sighted by The PUNCH on Friday, read, “I have the directive of the Honourable Commissioner to inform all Public Boarding House schools in Lagos State that the State Government has approved the review of the Boarding fee payable in all Public Boarding House schools in Lagos State. The newly approved fee is N100,000 Only.”

The letter titled, ‘Review of boarding fees in all public secondary schools in Lagos State for 2024/2025 session,’ added that no additional fee of any form should be collected by the schools, saying the resumption date was now September 15, 2024.

“I am further directed to inform you that no additional fee of any form should be collected by the schools.
“Kindly note that the resumption date remains 15th September 2024.”

A parent, Mrs Ayo Ogunse confirmed that the last fee was N35,000, saying parents had paid this fee last week before the new fee circular was posted on Friday afternoon.

“We were surprised to receive this new fee of N100,000 after paying N35,000 last week,” she said.

News

FG Warns N’Delta, Southern States Of Rising Eaters; Reveals Cause Of Maiduguri Flood

Published

17 hours ago

September 13, 2024

Editor

The Federal Government has issued a warning to the Niger Delta and southern states to brace for possible floods.

Also, the government revealed that the recent devastating Maiduguri flood was caused by the overflow of the Ngadda River, not a collapse of the Alau Dam as initially speculated.

During a press briefing, the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, Engineer Joseph Utsev, clarified that the Alau Dam, located in Maiduguri, Borno State, remained intact.

He explained that the flood resulted from massive inflows from the Ngadda River, a major tributary of the River Yedzaram, which overwhelmed the dam’s dyke.

Utsev, alongside the Minister of State for Water Resources and Sanitation, Bello Goronyo, visited the flood-affected areas to assess the damage and express their sympathies to the government and people of Borno State.

Utsev expressed commitment to a thorough overhaul and upgrade of the Alau Dam. He said it is non-negotiable, and any poor performance by contractors or officials involved will not go unpunished.

He promised to provide sanitation kits and water treatment facilities to displaced persons as part of the ministry’s immediate intervention.

However, the minister explained that the delay in arrival was due to prior irrigation inspections in the southwest. But he reassured that the Alau Dam would be prioritised.

Cause of Maiduguri flood

He said: “We didn’t actually envisage that the level of the water that comes this year it will be of this magnitude.

“Because of the climate change, the downpour was in excess, and the rivers could not actually contain the water. And more water that was unexpected was being spilled into Alau Dam, and it has spilled over the dyke.

“Alau Dam did not collapse. It was one of the dykes that could not hold excess water coming from the tributaries, so it overflowed the dam.

“The Federal Government of Nigeria and indeed the Federal Ministry of Water Resources and Sanitation deeply sympathise with the government and the good people of Borno State on the flood disaster that befell us a few days ago.

“This flood disaster, directly and indirectly affected millions of Nigerians, destroying homes, property, farmlands, roads, critical infrastructure and assets, among others. I identify with you all as we progress to navigate through this difficult time.

“This flood disaster that affected Maiduguri and Jere areas of Borno State was largely due to overflow of water from Alau Dam which is about 10 kilometers from Maiduguri city centre owing to massive inflow from Ngadda river, a major tributary of River Yedzaram.

“The Minister of State, Bello Mohammad Goronyo, and I have visited Maiduguri with heads of agencies and parastatals in my Ministry to express solidarity with the Governor, Borno State and to assess the extent of devastation caused by the flood.

“As I speak now, the team of technical experts from the Ministry, National Water Resources Institute (NWRI) and the Nigeria Hydrological Services Agency (NIHSA) including Chad Basin Development Authority are physically on ground to assess the situation in Alau Dam and the extent of the flood disaster and come up with useful findings and recommendations.”

Meanwhile, according to the Minister, reports of similar visits in Bauchi, Sokoto and Kebbi states have been produced and action is being taken.

Also, he warned that the water people drink may be contaminated, “we should please be mindful of this, so as to avoid further outbreak of waterborne and communicable diseases.”

Looming flood disaster

However, he warned that there is going to be serious flooding in the Niger Delta region and other southern states. Hence, the government and people should activate emergency measures to mitigate the impact.

“As we mourn the losses in Borno, Yobe, Jigawa, Bauchi and other states affected by flooding, the attention of Nigerians is hereby drawn to the probable flooding on rivers Niger and Benue and some of their tributaries.

“The daily flow on these rivers indicates significant increase in flow levels tending towards red alert.

“This warning means that a large volume of water is moving through our rivers down to the delta region.

“Therefore, we should increase vigilance on all ramifications and step up proactive measures to address any eventual flooding events in the southern part of the country,” he said.