The Organised Labour on Monday said it expects President Bola Tinubu to reach out to the members of the Tripartite Committee on the new national minimum wage to reconcile the figures since there was a stalemate.
It also said that it was expecting to see a copy of the draft bill that would be sent to the National Assembly to ensure that some of the issues discussed at the Tripartite Committee were captured in the bill.
This is as the Kogi State government has said that it has cleared backlog of salaries as well as pensions owed to the state workers and pensioners to the tune of 100 percent.
Recall that the Tripartite Committee on the new national minimum wage had submitted two figures to President Bola Tinubu. While the government and the organized private sector had offered N62,000, the organized labour demanded N250,000 living wage.
Fielding questions from journalists on the position of the Minimum Wage from the President when he received Special Adviser to Kogi State Governor on Labour Matters, Comrade Onuh Edoka, who paid him a courtesy visit in Abuja, President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Comrade Joe Ajaero said:
"It's expected of him to reach out to the Tripartite Committee not just labour, the entire employers, people representing labour to see whether they can build a synergy outside the negotiating table to come up with a figure that should be transmitted to the National Assembly, that is our position.
"For him to adopt any of the positions, you see that the other parties will feel aggrieved. As of today, none of such has happened, That is the right thing to be done since there is a kind of stalemate, the President should use his good office to see whether he can cement it not unilaterally. I think that is the problem there so that people can look at it unless he wants to reconvene the Tripartite Committee which I can't see being feasible.
"And beyond that, it's not only just that figure, there are some issues that were discussed and since we have not received the copy of what is being transmitted to the President there may be contentions if we don't have a synergy."
The NLC President welcomed the Kogi governor's SA and his team and promised to support the former labour leaders in the government to succeed in their new assignment.
Ajaero added that NLC has no issues with Kogi government on the issue of workers' salary payment.
Speaking earlier, Special Adviser to Governor Ahmed Ododo on Labour Matters, Comrade Onuh Edoka, said the governor was determined to enthrone a new era where workers welfare is prioritised.
Edoka said he was at the Labour House to bring to the notice of the labour centre efforts the new Kogi government has made so far to prioritize workers welfare.
He noted that he was among the labour leaders who fought the State government in the past protest for workers' welfare, especially the N30,000 minimum wage, describing the report in some quarters that Kogi State is among the states not paying the N30,000 minimum wage as false.
He said that governor Ododo's leadership has taken the issue of workers' welfare as a priority.
According to him, "The governor of Kogi State, His Excellency, Alh. Ahmed Usman Ododo is already carrying out some labour friendly interventions in the interest of State workers. As of today, there is prompt payment of salaries to the Kogi workers as early as 24th of the month.
"Payment of 100% to pensioners in both the State and Local Government levels are prompt."
He also listed that the State governor currently ensures the; "Implementation of a 35% hazard allowance to all categories of State Health Workers. Payment of six (6) months Health Insurance Scheme for all State Workers to the Kogi State Health Insurance Agency as take off for the workforce. Harmonized CONMESS salary structure for veterinary doctors in Kogi State, and high improved salaries of Local Government Workers to 90%."
On the alleged report that the State was not paying the N30,000 minimum wage passed into law in 2019, he said; "To put the record straight, it is important to note that Kogi state is one of the States that is currently paying the Thirty thousand Naira (N30,000) minimum wage. This is a struggle I and others personally fought."
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"In addition to all of these I have said; let me inform you further that about Seven (7) or more of our former and serving Labour Leaders are presently appointed into the various positions of responsibilities under this present administration in Kogi State. This includes, the former State Chairman of NUT/State Treasurer of the NLC His Excellency, Comrade Elder Joel Oyibo Salifu as the Deputy Governor of our dear State.
"Former State Chairperson, NULGE and Local Government Treasurer, Comrade Rabietu Baby Okute appointed as Hon. Commissioner for Humanitarian Affairs. Former State Chairman TUC Comrade Dr Ranti Matthew Ojo (Ph.D,) appointed as Permanent Secretary. The immediate past President of NULGE, Comrade Tade Adeyemi as Senior Special Assistant on Civil Service matters, equally Comrade Jacob Edi former Chairman of NUJ, FCT Council appointed as Special Adviser on Information and Communication, Comrade Otaru Abdulkabir Former Branch Chairman of NUAAE as Special Adviser on Agriculture and yours."
