by Azeez Adeniyi

The Federal Government on Monday met with the leadership of the National Assembly and labour leaders over new minimum wage and salary arrears owed workers.

Minister of Labour and Productivity Chris Ngige, Minister of Finance Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, Budget Office Director-General Ben Akabueze and Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President Comrade Ayuba Wabba were in the meeting with Senate President, Bukola Saraki.

It was learnt that discussions on the new minimum wage were shifted until salary arrears owed were cleared.

[Read Also: IT’S HIGH TIME WE INCREASED MINIMUM WAGE TO N50,000 – EKWEREMADU]

Ngige told reporters that they were at the National Assembly on the invitation of ledership.

He added that all sides will be back the next day with possible solution to the identified issues which is that “government does not have enough fund for now to tackle the issues”.

Ngige said: “We are here on the invitation of the National Assembly, the joint committee on labour and employment and the meeting is chaired by the Senate President.

“We are here to discuss issues relating to things that are meant for industrial harmony in the public sector.

“As you are aware, the labour federations have said the governors have not been treating them well.

“One of the cardinal issues of International Labour Organisation (ILO) is to give our workers decent jobs and we decided to discuss with them.

“We looked at the issues of salary arrears, promotion arrears, death benefits, location expenses and transfer allowances, hotel allowance, which overtime have accumulated and had run into billions  and this is what is owed to federal public servants and we started the meeting today to find a solution.”

NLC President, Ayuba Wabba said the workers have made a formal demand for a new minimum wage.

He said, “We have made a formal demand, which you are aware. It is N56,000, there is no need repeating it.”