Minimum wage: Why you can’t dictate what to pay, Labour replies govs
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Warns governors against provoking industrial unrest with inflammatory utterances
Notes may no longer be able to withstand pressure for industrial action
Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has rejected the suggestion by governors that they should be allowed to determine the wages of their workers, saying among others, it not only dictatorial, but against the concept of the minimum wage.
NLC in a statement, warned the state governors against further inflammatory statements concerning the minimum wage to avoid provoking industrial unrest.
In the statement by Mr Benson Upah, NLC’s Head Information and Public Affairs, contended that it may no longer be able to withstand the pressure for industrial action should the minimum wage issue continue to be prolonged.
NLC urged President Bola Tinubu who had promised a living wage (which is superior to a minimum wage) not to allow himself be blackmailed or boxed into a corner by unpatriotic governors.
Recall that the Southern governors had few days ago asked that the governors should be allowed to negotiate what each state can pay, saying “NLC is compelled to address the recent statements made by some Nigerian Governors regarding their desire to pay what they deem fit to Nigerian workers as the minimum wage. This notion is not only dictatorial but also undermines the very essence as well as the model adopted for creating a national minimum wage in Nigeria.
“The concept of a national minimum wage is not arbitrary. It represents a national wage floor, a baseline below which no worker in the law should be paid. This threshold is a collective agreement that ensures a minimum standard of living for every worker in the law.
“The Governors’ demand to unilaterally determine the minimum wage negates this principle and threatens the welfare of Nigerian workers and the national economy.
Six governors join NDPHC board
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The National Economic Council has approved the nomination of six state governors as board members of the Niger Delta Power Holding Company.
The governors, representing the six geopolitical zones are Hope Uzodinma (Imo), Babagana Zulum (Borno), Dikko Radda (Katsina), Abiodun Oyebanji (Ekiti), Umo Eno (Akwa Ibom) and the Kwara State Governor and Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.
This was revealed in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant to The President on Media & Communications (Office of The Vice President), Stanley Nkwocha late Thursday.
The Council emphasised the significance of the NDPHC to the nation’s economic development
The 142nd NEC meeting also received presentations and recommendations from different ad hoc committees.
These include the Ad Hoc Committees on Flood, Erosion, Drought and Desertification (Mitigation, Adaptation, Preparedness and Response); Economic Affairs; and Crude Oil Theft Prevention and Control.
President Bola Tinubu, on Thursday, announced a National Construction and Household Support Programme which will see 100,000 families in each state getting N50,000 grants for three months, N155 billion to be disbursed for assorted foods, N540bn for household grants even as 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory will get N10bn allocations each for Compressed Natural Gas buses.
Court grants Mohbad’s family permission to conduct independent autopsy
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The Coroner’s Court sitting in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State has granted the family permission to conduct an independent autopsy and toxicology test on the late singer, Ilerioluwa Aloba, also known as Mohbad.
The family had applied for an independent autopsy citing suspicious circumstances surrounding the death of the deceased.
The court’s decision comes after the previous autopsy conducted by the Lagos State Government was declared inconclusive.
The Aloba family’s legal team had rejected the results and pushed for an independent postmortem.
According to statement obtained by PUNCH Online on Friday and signed by the head of the family’s legal team, Taiwo Odumosu, the court during its sitting on Wednesday also ordered that all legal expenses for the conduct and process of the toxicology test would be borne by the Aloba family.
The statement read in part, “The court has ordered that all legal expenses for the conduct and process of the toxicology test would be borne by the Aloba family. The deceased’s father, mother, and wife are also required to be present during the autopsy.
“The Coroner’s Court chaired by T.A Sonubi, who gave the order however said that all the legal expenses on the conduct and process of the toxicology test would be borne by the Aloba family.
3500 Ondo youths get FG, IFAD’s agric empowerment
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The Federal Government in collaboration with International Fund for Agricultural Development and Niger Delta Development Commission have empowered over 3500 youths in agriculture, in Ondo State through their Livelihood Improvement Family Enterprises-Niger Delta project.
It was gathered that almost 7million dollars had been spent in providing the necessary support for the beneficiaries.
The National Project Coordinator, FG IFAD/LIFE-ND, Dr. Abiodun Sanni made this known in Osi Community in Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State on Thursday, during an inspection to farms of the beneficiaries in the state.
He recalled that the IFAD/ LIFE-ND project started since 2019 and was targeted at training and empowering about 4250 youths in agriculture within the space of six years. He expressed delight that the organisation had successfully empowered over 3500 so far.
He said, “Basically in Ondo State, for now, the target is 4250 beneficiaries in terms of providing the required support, we are over 3500 beneficiaries and we are aware this project is still ongoing.
“Close to 7 million dollars have been expended in the state in providing the infrastructures and also supporting the incubatees(beneficiaries) in terms of capacity buildings and providing for them in means of sustenance as agro- entrepreneurs.”
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