By SUNDAY BASSEY

The Head of Civil Service in Akwa Ibom, Mr Effiong Essien, has said that the state government will soon begin discussion with labour on the new minimum wage.

Essien said in an interview with newsmen in Uyo on Monday, that the state government was waiting for the circular on the consequential adjustment.

He assured that discussions on the new minimum wage would begin as soon as the Federal Government released the circular on the consequential adjustment.

“We are still waiting for the circular on the new minimum wage, don’t forget that it is a process.

“After the legislation, the National Salaries Incomes and Wages Commission has to release a circular showing the consequential benefits.

“When the states receive that circular, they will now take internal steps towards implementation,” he said.

When contacted, Mr Sunny James, the Chairman, Nigerian Labour Congress in the state, said that negotiations had yet to begin between labour and the state government on the matter.

“We have not started any discussion yet with the state government on the new minimum wage in Akwa Ibom.

“We have a N70,000 new minimum wage law, but there has to be consequential adjustment to make the salary table to flow.

“The practice is not to apply the 133 per cent increase uniformly. Conversations will hold to agree on the consequential adjustments,” he said.

The State NLC chairman expressed optimism that the organised labour and the state government would eventually settle for the signed national minimum wage law in the state.

James expressed optimism that the state government would pay the new N70,000 minimum wage to workers without complaints.

“There is no way workers in the state will accept anything less than N70,000 as the new minimum wage,” he said.

It would be recalled that already, some state governors have expressed their government’s incapability to pay N70,000 as new minimum wage. (NAN)