The Federal Government has appealed to the state governors who are yet to implement the newly approved minimum wage of N70,000 to do so as the special New Year package for workers across various sectors.

It also revealed that the President, Bola Tinubu, would launch the newly carved out initiative called Labour Employment and Empowerment Programme (LEEP) to provide jobs for 2.5 million people annually within the next four years.

The Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, stated this in Abuja during weekend while fielding questions from selected Labour Correspondents shortly after a press briefing.

Onyejeocha said that the expectation was that the state governors would take advantage of the New Year to grant their workers the minimum wage package, adding that hopefully 2025 would bring industrial peace, devoid of frequent strikes.

She specifically said that the federal government had laid a foundation for industrial harmony in the country by launching National Industrial Relations Policy (NIRP), noting that the aim was to strengthen relationships between labour unions and employers.

The minister said, ?For me, the concern was initially whether the states would agree to pay the new minimum wage, but as you can see, most people have keyed in. I believe that it was a pass mark.

?It?s not as bad as people think and most of the states have accepted to pay N70,000 new minimum wage and are carrying everyone along in the implementation. Even those yet to commence its payment, at no point did they say that they are not going to pay.

?All we can say to workers is to be patient, I have no doubt that the minimum wage will be implemented by all. I think we should give them more time, probably in the New Year, they may like to pay the minimum wage to their workers as a New Year package,? he added.

Onyejeocha also responded to the threat by the Committee of the House of Representatives on Appropriation to block allocations to the Ministry of Labour following its inability to defend their budget.

According to her, the National Assembly was right in reprimanding the ministry as it is its constitutional mandate to request ministries and agencies to appear before it to answer questions on their expenditure plans.

She stated that she was offering an apology to the lawmakers on behalf of the ministry, saying: ?It?s a sad thing and I keep telling anyone who cares to listen that you can?t joke with parliament. You must answer the summons from the parliament, I didn?t know that we had this problem.

?If I knew, I would have pleaded with them to respond to it and even go with the officials to meet the House Committee because it is statutory and we don?t have choice. I would like to use this medium to plead with parliament and to say that no one will question their authority to carry out their oversight function.?

Onyejeocha assured that the ministry would utilise the remaining window in the budget deliberation to present and defend the ministry?s proposal. (Daily Trust)

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