Buhari Appoints 30-Member National Minimum Wage C’ttee

•  Ama Pepple, Ngige to spearhead panel

Senator Iroegbu in Abuja

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of a 30-member tripartite National Minimum Wage Committee to negotiate a new national minimum wage for the country.

The Deputy Director, of Press in the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Mr. Samuel Olowookere, disclosed this yesterday, adding that the former Head of Service of the Federation, Ms. Ama Pepple, had been appointed chairman of the committee and the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, deputising.

Olowookere, in a statement, said by its tripartite nature, the committee is made up of persons from the public sector (federal and state governments), the private sector made up of the largest private employer groups, and the labour unions.

The private sector groups include the Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA), Manufacturers’ Association of Nigeria (MAN), Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce Industry Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), and Nigerian Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (NASME).

Olowookere said members of the committee representing each of the groups include Chief Richard Egbule, Chairman, National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission as secretary of the committee; Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, Minister of Budget and National Planning; Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, Minister of Finance; Mrs. Winifred E. Oyo-Ita, Head of Civil Service of the Federation, and Dr. Roy Ugo, Permanent Secretary, General Services Office, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

From the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) are Governor Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State (South-west); Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State (South-east); Governor Hassan Dankwambo of Gombe State (North-east); Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State (South-south); Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State (North-central); Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu of Kebbi State (North-west) and A. B. Okauru, Director-General NGF as an observer.

On the trade union side are: Mr. Ayuba Wabba, President, Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC); Mr. Peters Adeyemi, NLC; Mr. Kiri Mohammed, NLC; Mr. Amechi Asugwuni, NLC; Mr. Peter Ozo-Eson, NLC; Mr. Bobboi Bala Kaigama, President, Trade Union Congress (TUC); Mr. Sunday Olusoji Salako, TUC; Mr. Alade Bashir Lawa, TUC; and Mr. Igwe Achese, President, Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG).

Also, on the employers’ side are: Mr. Olusegun Oshinowo, Director General, NECA; Mr. Timothy Olawale, NECA; Mr. Chuma Nwankwo, NECA; Mrs. Olubunmi Adekoje, Director General, Federation of Construction Industry (FOCI); Alhaji Ahmed Ladan Gobir, Chairman, Kaduna East branch, MAN; Chief Francis Oluwagbenro, MAN; Hajia Muheeba Dankaka, President, Kano branch, NACCIMA; and Mr. Degun Agboade, President, NASME.

The ministry spokesman said the committee would be inaugurated on November 27 at the council chambers of the State House, Abuja.