Give Workers Minimum Wage as New Year Package, Onyejeocha Tells Govs
Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja
Miñister of State for Labour and Employment, Hon. Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, has pleaded with states yet to commence payment of the new national minimum wage to approve it as a special New Year package to their workers.
The minister also expressed optimism that one of the key job creation initiatives by the ministry, LEAD, will be flagged off in January, next year by President Bola Tinubu.
Onyejeocha who spoke with journalists in Abuja yesterday, said that federal government has laid a foundation for industrial harmony in the country by launching National Industrial Relations Policy (NIRP)
She said the aim is to strengthen relationships between labour unions and employers, adding that hopefully 2025 will bring industrial peace, devoid of frequent strikes.
When asked about her impression of the implementation of the new minimum wage by states, Onyejeocha said that the expectation is that the state governors will take advantage of the New Year to grant their workers the minimum wage package.
“For me the concern was initially whether the states will agree to pay the new minimum wage but you can see that most people have keyed in. I believe that it was a pass mark. It’s not as bad as people think and most of the states have accepted to pay N70,000 new minimum wage and are carrying everyone along in the implementation.
“Even those yet to commence its payment, at no point did they say that they are not good to pay. All we can say to workers is to be patient, I have no doubt that the minimum wage will be implemented by all. I think we should give them.more time, probably in the New Year, they may like to pay the minimum wage to their workers as a New Year package.”
The minister gave an insight on the launch of the Labour Employment and Empowerment Programme (LEEP), a strategy for creating more employment opportunities.
According to her, the initiative is projected to train and equip 2.5 million people annually within the next four years with the necessary tools and opportunities to thrive in the digital age as well as equip them with necessary funds to establish businesses of their own.
Onyejeocha also responded to the threat by the Committee of the House of Representatives on Appropriation to block allocations to the Ministry of Labour following its inability to defend their budget.
She said that the National Assembly was right in reprimanding the ministry as it is their constitutional mandate to request ministries and agencies to appear before it to answer questions on their expenditure plans.
She said that she was offering an apology to the lawmakers on behalf of the ministry, saying: “It’s a sad thing and I keep telling anyone who cares to listen that you can’t joke with parliament. You must answer the summons from the parliament, I didn’t know that we had this problem .
“If I knew, I would have pleaded with them to respond to it and even go with the officials to meet the House Committee because it is statutory and we don’t have choice. I would like to use this medium to plead with parliament and to say that no one will question their authority to carry out their oversight function,” she said.
Onyejeocha assured that the ministry will utilise the remaining window in the budget deliberation to present and defend the ministry’s proposal.
