The new wage structure is still a long way to go, going by indications from Minister of Labour and Employment Chris Ngige.

According to him, governors, the most critical group in the process, are yet to submit their proposal on a new wage system.

The minister told reporters in Anambra State that without a proposal from the governors, there cannot be an agreement on a new wage structure.

Ngigi is the deputy chairman of the 30-man Tripartite Committee on the minimum wage set up by President Muhammadu Buhari last November. A former Head of Service of the Federation, Ms Ama Pepple, is the chairman.

Members of the committee are drawn from the public sector (federal and state), the private sector and the labour union. There are six governors – one each from the six geo-political zones.

President Buhari, while inaugurating the panel, said the current wage structure had expired.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has proposed a minimum wage of N56,000 but employers under the umbrella of the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association, have rejected the proposal.

Governors have also said they were not elected only to pay salaries, adding that the bulk of their revenue would not be devoted to paying workers.

Ngige said although the Tripartite Committee would conclude its assignment this month, the delay by the governors to submit their proposal would delay action.

Ngige also told reporters that the hike in National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members allowances had not been finalised.

•Text (excluding headline) excerpted from The Nation report

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