Onyejeocha: My Role as Wage Mediator, A Daunting Career Task

Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Hon Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, in this interview outlines her achievements in the last one year as main wage negotiator between government and labour unions as well as initiating and implementating major labour policies. Folalumi Alaran brings excerpts:

Over one year into your tenure as Minister of State for Labour, how would you describe your experience in the civil service compared to the many years you spent in the National Assembly as a lawmaker? What differences or similarities have you observed?

My experience in administrative roles is not new, having previously served as a commissioner in Abia state and later a chairperson of my local governmeånt. However, I must say that my current role comes with a broader scope of responsibilities, as I’m now tasked with a national mandate, requiring a wider range of expertise and a greater sense of duty to the nation.

One year into my tenure as Minister of Labour, I have observed significant differences between this role and my time as a lawmaker. As Minister, I am responsible for formulating, driving initiatives and implementing policies, whereas in the National Assembly, I focused on crafting legislation. The civil service requires more administrative and operational oversight, whereas the National Assembly centered on debate and lawmaking and oversight functions. However, both roles involve collaboration, stakeholder engagement, and advocating for constituents’ interests. The main similarity is the commitment to serving the public and driving positive change.

I must express my gratitude for the privilege of serving in this role, which has afforded me the unique opportunity to oversee the nation’s labour ecosystem. It has been a truly enriching experience, and I am deeply thankful to Mr. President for entrusting me with this responsibility, allowing me to make a positive impact on the lives of Nigerians once again.

When you started, you brought a sense of enthusiasm and a private-sector mindset to the ministry which was exemplified by the high-profile closure of a Lagos factory for violating safety protocols. Now, after some time in office, how would you assess the current state of occupational safety compliance nationwide compared to when you first took the helm?

Indeed, I firmly believe that adopting a private sector mindset in the public sector is key to driving progress. We must approach civil service with the same urgency and results-driven attitude as private business. This shift in mentality and approach will boost productivity, leading to tangible development outcomes.

On occupational safety, upon assuming office, I was alarmed to discover the deplorable state of occupational safety in Nigerian companies, particularly those operated by foreign entities. I was almost speechless when we visited a car battery manufacturing facility in Ogun State. That visit revealed the level of environmental hazards in some of these companies and blatant disregard for safety laws, putting staff health at risk. This is not acceptable in other parts of the world. However, our outdated laws that impose minimal penalties, even encourages offenders to continue to look the other way. Take for instance, a paltry  N1,000 fine for life-threatening offenses is woefully inadequate.

To address this, we are working with the National Assembly to review our labour laws, to ensure that they reflect the gravity of these issues. At the same time, the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) department in the Ministry is conducting workshops and campaigns to educate the public on workplace safety. Once the new legislation is enacted, we will intensify enforcement, making it clear that companies operating in Nigeria must adhere to stringent safety standards. We are taking one thing at a time and owe the people the duty to keep them safe.

As the first female minister to lead the Ministry of Labour, how have you navigated the dual challenges of overseeing the various agencies under the ministry’s purview while simultaneously managing complex industrial relations and promoting harmonious labour practices?

As the first female minister to lead the Ministry of Labour, I have approached this role with a deep understanding of the dual responsibility before me, especially since after the former Governor of Plateau State, Hon Simon Lalong left the ministry for the Senate few months after we came in. It has been challenging but I have focused on building strong relationships with the agencies under our purview, fostering open communication, and empowering their leadership to drive results.

Here in the ministry, I have initiated periodic meetings to get reports and progress from head all the departments in line with the government’s Key Performance Index (KPI) to monitor the our performance.

Simultaneously, I have put industrial relations in the front burner, engaging with stakeholders to address pressing concerns and promote harmonious labour practices. My approach has been collaborative, inclusive, and solution-driven, recognizing the interconnectedness of our mandate.

You can take an example from the just concluded minimum wage negotiation.

Just before we left the country for the June 2024 International Labour Conference (ILC) in Geneva, a potentially contentious situation arose in the middle talks. Many Nigerians anticipated a clash between the government and organised labour at the ILC meeting. However, we defied expectations by presenting a united front, demonstrating our commitment to collaboration and mutual understanding. By being true to our words and values, we were able to turn a potentially volatile situation into a showcase of cooperation and collective progress.

Through these efforts, we have made significant strides in improving labour relations, resolving disputes, and promoting a culture of collaboration and respect. I am proud of our progress and remain committed to driving positive change in the world.

Don’t forget, Nigeria was not queried on any of the Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work at the 2024 ILC, meaning that the ‘double foot note’, ie double query received in 2023, was successfully cleared. Nigeria was not found wanting in any area, and is therefore operating according to international labour standards. This is huge and it suggests that we are doing a lot. This achievement demonstrates Nigeria’s commitment to upholding international labour standards

How did you navigate the delicate balance between your loyalty to the government and your duty to represent the people’s interests during the negotiations that led to the approval of the new N70,000 minimum wage?

Balancing loyalty to the government with the duty of a mediator for the overall interest of all parties, including the worker’s interests was a delicate task, indeed. As Minister of Labour, my approach was to remain steadfast in my commitment to the welfare of Nigerian workers while maintaining open and honest communication among the three parties, that is, the government, organised labour and the organised private sector.

I can say my role as a mediator for all the groups (regional inclusive) during the minimum wage negotiations was one of the most daunting tasks I have faced in my career. The process was fraught with complexity, requiring immense tact, empathy, and strategic thinking.

On one hand, I had to ensure that the government’s concerns about economic viability and fiscal responsibility were addressed, while on the other hand, we were concerned about the rights and demands of Nigerian workers, who had been awaiting a wage increase and of course, organised private sector.

However, through open communication and transparency, constructive dialogue while putting government and the private sector’s limitations into consideration and effective conflict resolution skills to manage tensions, we were able to find common ground.

I thank President Bola Tinubu, who played a fatherly role at peak of the heat that ensued during the process. Through perseverance, dedication, and a commitment to social justice, I was able to successfully mediate the negotiations, culminating in the historic approval of a N70,000 minimum wage.

What new initiatives have you introduced since taking office, and how have they improved the ministry’s performance and outcome?

We are taking a bold new approach, shifting our focus beyond just resolving industrial crises to increasing and introducing innovative policies that drive job creation and foster a positive work environment across both public and private sectors. Our goal is to create an ecosystem where workers thrive, backed by policies that prioritise their wellbeing and growth.

One of those initiatives is the Renewed Hope Labour Employment and Empowerment  Programme (LEEP), His Excellency, President Bola Tinubu highlighted in his 64th  Independence Day address.

On the administrative side, I instituted the practice of a bi-monthly top management meeting consisting of the Permanent Secretary, all directors and heads of agencies under the supervision of the Ministry. This initiative has helped us to track our progress accordingly, deal with issues more efficiently and ensure that we don’t work in silos. This has greatly impacted the outcome and performance of the Ministry.

Could you elaborate more on the LEEP initiative?

The initiative was pre-launched in the second quarter of this year and since then LEEP has ensured that new jobs are created especially in the green sector where we have provided technicians to be trained on conversion and retrofitting of vehicles from Petrol to CNG powered engines.

In addition, the initiative is also championing the training of youths and women on Vocational and Entrepreneurship Training to ensure self sufficiency and job creation. This has translated into key wins that positively impacts the Ministry’s performance.

In addition, the programme was designed as a comprehensive suite of interventions aimed at facilitating the creation of 2.5m jobs directly and indirectly while simultaneously ensuring the welfare and safety of workers across the country. The projections are; provide 2.5m unemployed access to skills and revenue generation programme and resources across the six geo-political zones; nuture talents and expertise of our significant youth population to access 10x income revenue streams; increase Ministry revenue by 120%; reduce yearly unemployment rate by 50% and achieve 3x multiplier effect in capital investment to maximize impact

The former administration commenced moves to amend some obsolete labour laws. What is the update on this, ma?

 We are working closely with the National Assembly to review outdated labour laws. The process is ongoing and be rest assured that we are committed to fast-tracking the implementation of new legislation to ensure our labour laws remain relevant and effective.

Nigeria seems to be behind in the race to end child labour. Why do you think child labour remains a challenge despite efforts by the government?

Nigeria has made significant strides in the fight against child labour in the last years with the support of the International Labour Organization through the Action Against Child Labour in Agriculture in West Africa (ACLAWA), Global Accelerator Lab (GALAB) and Accelerating Action Against Child Labour in Africa (ACCEL) I&II projects, funded by the United States Department of Labour (USDOL) and Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, respectively.

The Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, through the National Steering Committee on the Elimination of Child Labour (NSCCL) together with the State Steering Committees collaborate social partners (ILO, TUC and NECA), NGOs/CSOs, Faith Based Organisations, MDAs, security agencies (NPT, NSCDC, NIS), NAPTIP, and other stakeholders, to address the menace. These are some of the efforts we have made, including advocacy.

The COVID-19 pandemic unfortunately reversed some of the gains recorded in the fight against child labour. Similarly, the tough economic climate is affecting families right now. However, with improved social protection and the poverty eradication programmes of Mr. President’s Eight-Point Agenda, including the drive to reduce the out of school phenomenon, the prevalence of child labour will reduce in the nearest future.

The Child Labour and Forced Labour (2022) survey report released recently, identified certain states and geo-political zones of the country as having the highest prevalence. Advocacy visits are therefore planned to the Nigeria Governors Forum, specific governors as well as the National Assembly, to put in place policies in their states, as well as institute constituency projects to benefit the people and lift their people out of poverty, because poverty has been identified as the main cause of child labour. We are putting in our best to reduce end the menace.

Recently, the goverment commenced plans to implement productivity based wage for workers. I understand the report of the committee work is ready. When will the government commence implementation?

The committee has yet to finalize the report, as it has not considered some segments of the public sector. Hopefully, by early next year, they will complete the report and conduct a stakeholders session to get feedback before submitting the final report.

Do you think Nigeria is ready for a productivity performance based wage award?

Yes, Nigeria is ready for a productivity linked reward system. It is the way to go. Performance differences must be rewarded so that high-performance will be incentivized in the service.

What is your guiding philosophy in life and how do you relax after a tedious week at the office or is it all work with no play for you?

My life’s philosophy is grounded in hard work, faith, perseverance, and God’s unconditional love. Growing up as child, I faced adversity at a tender age, losing my mother and grandmother. Yet, God’s grace empowered me to overcome that phase of life and the challenges that it came with. I have learned to trust in divine guidance and providence. God’s mercy has been my anchor, guiding me through life’s trials.

I find strength in fellowship with fellow believers, rejoicing and worshiping God in truth and spirit.