MINIMUM WAGE: CONSTITUTE COMMITTEE FOR CONSEQUENTIAL ADJUSTMENTS , JOINT NATIONAL PUBLIC SERVICE NEGOTIATING COUNCIL URGES FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

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MINIMUM WAGE: CONSTITUTE COMMITTEE FOR CONSEQUENTIAL ADJUSTMENTS , JOINT NATIONAL PUBLIC SERVICE NEGOTIATING COUNCIL URGES FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

…demands outstanding payment of N35,000 Wage Award and 35% salary review implementation

The joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (Trade Union Side) has demanded for the immediate setting up of committee that will draw up consequential adjustments salary table that will facilitate
the implementation of N70,000 New National Minimum Wage .

In separate letters addressed to the trio of the Head of Service of the Federation , the Honourable Minister of Finance/coordinating Minister of Economic management and the Executive Chairman, Salaries, lncomes and Wages Commission signed by both the National Chairman and acting National Secretary of Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC) Comrade Benjamin Anthony and Comrade Olowoyo Gbenga respectively.

The statement stated inter alia “‘It has become very imperative, due to popular demands from spectrum of Public Servants, to request for the proper Committee to be constituted to discuss CONSEQUENTIAL ADJUSTMENTS salary table, arising from the New National Minimum Wage of (#70,000) Seventy Thousand Naira

The national leadership of the joint National Public Service Negotiating Council reminded the office of the Head of Service of the Federation that, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu signed into law the New National Minimum Wage Act 2024 on Monday 29th July, 2024, ever since, the expectations of Workers across the country was that the implementation of the New National Minimum Wage Act 2024 would have commenced but the reverse is the case.

“In view of the aforementioned, the National leadership of Joint National Public Service Negotiating is hereby requesting for immediate action on the following underlisted:

1) constitute committee to discuss consequential adjustments comprising the following:

(i) Government side

(ii) Joint Public Service Negotiating Council
(Trade Union Side)

(ii) Nigeria Labour Congress

(Iii) Trade Union Congress

2) Make available a copy of New National Minimum Wage Act 2024

The National leadership of JNPSNC opined that It is a statement of fact and without mincing words that appropriate committee that will culminate to acceptable consequential adjustments is long overdue

“It is very expedient to inform your esteem office that the delay has been brewing up anxiety and mistrust from workers , hence, timely setting up of the committee to facilitate the implementation of the New National Minimum Wage Will be appreciated ,” the statement added.

In the meantime, the National leadership of the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council in another letter has equally demanded for the immediate balance payment of N35,000 Wage Award from February, 2024 and the full implementation of 35% salary review for Federal Public Servants

This was contained in another letter signed by both National Chairman Comrade Benjamin Anthony and acting National Secretary Comrade Olowoyo Gbenga on behalf of the
National Executive Council (NEC) of the joint National Public Service Negotiating Council which stated that
“the balance payment of N35, 000 wages Award to Federal Public Servants was stopped since February 2024, whereas, the payment is to continue until the commencement of implementation of the New National Minimum Wage. ”

“The Head of Service will recall that the approval for the payment of the wage Award was culminated as a result of agreement reached on Monday 2nd of October, 2023 with the Organised Labour due to the removal of fuel subsidy, the payment of Wage Award commenced in September, 2023 but has been stopped forthwith since February, 2024. ”

On the need to urgently implement the 35% salary review , the National Leadership called the attention of the Head of Service of the Federation to the approval given by the Federal Government which culminated into the circular issued and duly signed by the Executive Chairman, Salaries, lncomes and Wages Commission, chief Ndah Eta which directed directed that the 35% salary review should be implemented to all workers in the Federal Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs,) as well as, Military and Para-Military Agencies.

The statement opined that there is no mincing words that the implementation of this referred Circular has not been implemented for the Federal Public Servants, for once, whereas, the implementation ought to have commenced since May 2024.

In a very clear term, the National leadership of JNPSNC hereby presented and appealed to the office of the Head of Service of the Federation, Minister of Finance and Executive Chairman, Salaries lncomes and Wages Commission as follows:

i. That the office of the Head of Service of the Federation should put necessary machinery in place to urgently facilitate the full payment of N35, 000 Wage Award with all attendants’ arrears, to all Federal Public Servants which has hitherto been stopped since February 2024.

ii. In the same vein, the potent circular issued by the authority of the Executive Chairman of Salaries, incomes and Wages Commission with the approval of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria Bola Ahmed Tinubu (GCFR) should not have been foot dragged in the implementation of the circular.

That your esteemed office should urgently put effect to the implementation of 35% salary review as contained in the circular issued by the Executive Chairman of Salaries, Income and Wages Commission.

iii. That the prayers raised above should be the standpoint upon which the consequential adjustment of the New National Minimum Wage of #70,000 be calculated and implemented.

iv. The JNPSNC (Trade Union Side) also wish to request, most importantly, that full arrears of the two impending approvals be fully implemented.

The National leadership of Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC) restated its commitment and assurances to continue to partner with the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation in order to ensure that Public Servants across the country received the best welfare packages from both National and sub National levels in the country

The National leadership of JNPSNC admonished the Federal Government that the implementation of demands of workers will be aligning with the yearnings and aspirations of Nigeria Workers in this direction and should not be taken for granted.