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  • Labour Minister, Chris Ngige reveals monthly salary

    Labour Minister, Chris Ngige reveals monthly salary

    The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige has revealed his monthly salary after tax deduction.

    Ngige said he receives N942,000 as his monthly salary with his personal assistant.

    Ngige made this disclosure on Monday during an interview on Channels Television.

    Speaking on the administration’s commitment to workers’ welfare in the last eight years, he said even political officeholders were not left out in the excruciating economic situation in the country.

    When asked about paying workers’ salaries from June and beyond, the minister said, ” I’m not the Central Bank governor, neither am I the finance minister. These two manage the Nigerian economy, the fiscal and micro. Even if it means printing money, I cannot print, and I don’t know how it’s done.

    ”My salary is N942,000 a month. That’s my salary with my Personal Assistant, that is the gross total after taxation. Every minister you see, that’s what it is. Special Adviser too, is around that amount at the federal level.”

  • Ngige urges Tinubu’s administration to review minimum wage

    Ngige urges Tinubu’s administration to review minimum wage

    The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, has urged the incoming administration of the President-elect, Bola Tinubu, to review the current minimum wage of N30,000 currently obtainable in Nigeria.

    Ngige, who was a member of the committee that negotiated the present minimum wage in 2019 from N18,000 to N30,000, noted that the country’s minimum wage should be reviewed every five years to fit current standard of living.

    The minister, who spoke on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Wednesday, further mentioned that he would include in his handover notes that the discussion surrounding minimum wage should start immediately the new government is sworn-in in May 2023, ahead of it’s implementation, which he said should be in May 2024.

    I’m envisaging that as from May 2023, the government will impanel the new minimum wage review committee for the nation

    He said the discussions would involve the public sector, private sector and state governments, and according to the last bill passed should start a year before it officially takes effect.

    He said, “It is a tripartite negotiation involving public sector, private sector and state governments. We entrenched in that bill or law that minimum wage will now have an automaticity of review every five years.

    “So, from 2019 when it came into effect to 2024 will be five years but we also made a recommendation in our document which we submitted that the discussion, the negotiation should start one year from May 2024 when it supposed to kick-start.

    “So, I’m envisaging that as from May 2023, the government will impanel the new minimum wage review committee for the nation.

    “In my handover note which I am going to hand over to the transition committee and the next government, I am recommending that the discussions start anytime from May 2023.”

    Ngige also noted that the Federal Government has approved a pay rise for civil servants which would take effect from January 1, 2023, adding that the provision is already included in the 2023 budget.

    The minister said the salary increment became important in view of the current economic reality of the country, however adding that the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), is yet to approve the percentage used for the increment.

    He said, “In the Presidential Committee on Salaries, we have done something for the civil servants for those who are on Consolidated Public Service Salary Structure and some corporations, MDAs that are on that CONPSS. CONPSS is the salary scale for civil servants.

    “We put a percentage for the President to approve, we have approved it at our own committee level. We said it should take effect from January 1, 2023.”

    Ngige urges administration of President-elect, Tinubu to review minimum wage
    Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige

    While noting that the economic reality of the country had led to the decision of salary increment for civil servants, Ngige however, lauded the naira redesign policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria, which he said had achieved some “sound benefits.”

    Although, he categorically stated that the policy was not “smooth in its implementation,” he said it had greatly reduced insecurity as bandits and kidnappers are currently on “holiday” as a result of the cash crunch, adding that the policy helped in curbing vote-buying during the just-concluded elections across the country.

  • 2023: Why I can’t support any presidential candidate – Chris Ngige reveals

    2023: Why I can’t support any presidential candidate – Chris Ngige reveals

    The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, has revealed why he won’t support any presidential candidate ahead of the 2023 election in February.

    The Minister stated this on Wednesday, in his country home in Alor while speaking to journalists.

    When asked on which of the candidates he thinks may win the election, Ngige said he would not like to predict, insisting Nigerians should be allowed to choose who they want to be their president.

    Giving an account of his personal relationship with each of the frontline presidential candidates, Ngige said: “Malam Kwankwaso, is my friend, I know him too as deputy speaker when he was deputizing Agunwa Anekwe, one of our party’s strong men.

    “Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Vice President (former) the Federal Republic of Nigeria was the man who was in the helm of affairs when I was ‘kidnapped’- when I was shoved out of office.

    “He was standing in for Mr President (Obasanjo), who was in Maputo, and he ordered the Inspector General of Police then, to reinstate me to office.

    “I also worked with him in the economic team- National Economic Council as the Vice President. So, I know him, and he is a friend of mine, and we also formed AC together.

    “Peter Obi, my brother, my successor and my everything, I know him too and he is a friend. So, how do I campaign against any of them?

    “Bola Ahmed Tinubu, my friend again – supportive. During trying times; we formed AC together. I became the known opposition Senator in the Eastern Region under the auspices and platform of the ACN. So, he is not somebody I don’t know.”

  • FG blames crude oil theft on worsening unemployment situation

    FG blames crude oil theft on worsening unemployment situation

    The Federal Government has attributed the menace of crude oil theft to the worsening unemployment situation in the country.

    Dr Chris Ngige, the Minister of Labour and Employment, said this while declaring open the 8th Meeting of the National Employment Council on Friday in Abuja.

    Mr Olajide Oshundun, the Head, Press and Public Relations, quoted the minister as saying this in

    Ngige, who is the chairman of the council, said that oil theft has made Nigeria to become a mendicant nation, resorting to begging for survival.

    According to him, this menace has hampered the efforts of the federal government towards creating jobs for the country’s teeming youthful population.

    “I am aware that you people know that we are at a very critical stage in our nation’s life. We have economic problems all over the world, but our own in Nigeria is self inflicted. Our main source of revenue is oil.

    “But, in the oil sector, two things are happening. One, Nigeria is not meeting her production quota. Our OPEC production quota used to be 2.2 million barrels per day. It slipped down to 1.8 million barrels.

    “Now, we cannot even produce the 1.8 million barrels. We are hovering around 1.1 million barrels per day, and they told us that some people are stealing our crude oil.

    “This is a very serious matter because it has made us become very mendicant. We are now a mendicant nation, resorting to begging for survival,’’ he said.

    He added that the nation cannot continue that way because it has hampered efforts to create jobs for our teeming youthful population.

    The minister further said: “Some people were analysing the situation and said that when we started the country, the white men came here and took all the jobs.

    “ We were seeing them with white shirts and ties and the jobs became known as white collar jobs. Later, our own people started going to university and after graduation, joined in the ‘white collar jobs’.

    “Our colonial masters left and bequeathed to us another group of colonial masters, which comprised the indigenous people.

    `Those who took over from the colonial masters did not plan for tomorrow. Number one is that our population is growing uncontrollably.

    “Our population astronomically outpaces our Gross Domestic Product (GDP). We are neither finding our youthful population white collar jobs, nor making arrangement for them to do the blue collar jobs.

    “Blue collar jobs are the ones you do with your hands, applying skills,’’ he said.

    Ngige also noted that only few blue-collar jobs were created in the transport sector, especially in rail and maritime, without producing indirect jobs to complement them, while the situation was made worse by foreigners.

    He added that this was especially Chinese and other West African people who have taken over most of the blue collar jobs.

    He also blamed the overflowing joblessness for the youth restiveness all over the country.

    “Unemployment is not confined to Nigeria, but our own is worse because in other climes, people are earning money from blue collar jobs. Here, we have no blue collar jobs for our workforce.

    “We have polytechnics but they are competing with universities for degrees. We see a polytechnic say it is awarding degree. We have technical colleges that want to equate their certificate with a degree.

    “Nobody is interested in having technical skills. Everybody wants to be drawing and designing in air-conditioned offices, which is what the degree man does. The degree men are not supposed to be the implementers.

    “ The field implementers are the technologists and technicians and in proper climes, they are very well paid and live decent lives,’’ he said.

    According to him, to reverse this ugly trend, there is need for a handshake between the National Employment Council and the National Skills Council, which is domiciled in both the Federal Ministry of Labour and Ministry Education.

    He said this also comprised the ministries of Industries and Trade, Works, Power, Science and Technology, and all other government creations, with a sense of urgency.

    Ngige therefore recommended the incorporation of the Federal Ministry of Communication and Digital Economy into the National Employment Council, being that we are in a digital age which made for the creation of digital jobs.

    He described digital jobs as the best way to absolve the bulging mass of youths that are now unemployed.

    “We need to also look at NNPC and gas pipeline projects. Nigeria is doing two projects now, the Abuja-Kaduna-Kano (AKK) and the one that transverses the West African Line into Morocco and extending to Europe.

    “So, these are all ongoing critical infrastructure projects with large quantum of jobs to be created from them,’’ he said.

    He welcomed the proposal for the creation of labour desks in form of job synergy points in the ministries, departments and agencies where needed in order to facilitate job monitoring and creation.

    “We conceived concept of labour desks for trade disputes and that was why we started in the ministries and agencies that have propensity for a lot of trade disputes.

    “Now, that this Employment Council is thinking ahead, you should also bring a proposal so that we can do reforms through the Ministry of Labour.

    `This will ensure to have job creation contents in conjunction with the trade dispute aspect, in addition to managing strike actions,’’ he said.

  • Between Tinubu and Obi, I will make my choice – Ngige

    Between Tinubu and Obi, I will make my choice – Ngige

    The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, has said he will decide who to vote for between the presidential candidate of All Progressives Congress, (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Labour Party counterpart, Peter Obi in the 2023 presidential election.

    Ngige made this revelation while speaking on Channels Television’s programme, Politic Today, on Friday.

    He admitted that both men are his friends, but his vote will be decided in the secret ballot.

    When asked if it would be a difficult choice to vote Tinubu, with the people from the South-East clamouring to produce Nigeria’s next president, Ngige replied: “I’ve told you I am not active in politics.

    “I am facing a national assignment for now. Why are you asking me difficult questions? Both of them are my friends.

    “My choice will be in the ballot box. On that day, I will make my choice.”

  • FG to adjust workers salaries to current realities – Ngige

    FG to adjust workers salaries to current realities – Ngige

    The Federal Government says it will adjust workers’ salaries to meet the current realities in the economy of the country.

    Sen. Chris Ngige, the Minister of Labour and Employment said this at the public presentation of the NLC of 40 publication titled, “Contemporary History of Working Class Struggles’’ on Monday in Abuja.

    Ngige said that the Federal Government was very much aware that the N30,000 National Minimum Wage had depreciated.

    “Yes the inflation has increased worldwide and it is not confined to Nigeria, that is why in many jurisdiction, it is an adjustment of wages right now.

    “We as the Nigerian government, we shall adjust in confirmative with what is happening in wages.

    “More importantly, the 2019 National Minimum Wage Act, right now has a clause for the review, which we started then, I do not know whether it is due next year or 2024.

    “But before then, the adjustment of wages will reflect what is happening in the economy,just as government has started the adjustment with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), ‘’he said.

    The minister also explained that the Federal Government did not take ASUU to court over the prolonged strike of the union as some people claimed.

    Ngige said he would have failed in his duties if he did not refer the matter to the National Industrial Court of Nigeria (NICN) after seven months of protracted discussions and negotiations with the union, which failed.

    He recalled that ASUU was at the stage of Collective Bargaining(CBA) negotiation with their employers, the Federal Ministry of Education when they embarked on strike.

    He regretted that the ASUU leadership did not even understand the import of CBA negotiation because they lacked the nutrients of labour unionism.

    According to him, we have to counsel our brothers on negotiation. No negotiation is forced. You cannot say it is either you give me 200 per cent or I will continue my strike.

    “There are laws guiding strike. There are ILO principles on right to strike. Nobody can take it away.

    ”But, there are things that follow it when you embark on strike as a worker and they are enshrined in the laws of our land.

    “It is written in Trade Dispute Act. The ILO principles of strike talks about the right of a worker to withdraw services. There is also right to picket. These are things that are done.

    ”Nigeria is respected in ILO. Some people said Federal Government took ASUU to court. No. I referred the matter after seven months of protracted discussions and negotiations that failed, ’’he said.

    Ngige recalled that he conciliated the dispute twice, first on Feb. 22, one week after the commencement of the strike and some agreements were reached, and he brought everybody back on March 1 for another conciliation.

    He added that the only thing left was going back to the Federal Ministry of Education for the renegotiation of the 2013 agreement.

    “Some people are saying 2009 agreement. The 2009 agreement has been renegotiated in 2013/2014 with the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan. It is an anathema to use 2009 agreement.

    “What is left is the renegotiation of their conditions of service, which is their right. It should be done but they are negotiating it under the principle of offer and acceptance and it broke down irretrievably there at the Federal Ministry of Education.

    “That kick-started Section 17 of the Trade Dispute Act whereby the Minister of Labour and Employment, whoever it is, if you don’t transmit according to the dictates of Section 17, TDA, 2004, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria.

    “This means you would have failed in your function. Therefore, I had to transmit, ’’he said.

    Ngige, however, said the transmission did not mean that the matter could not be settled out of court.

    He said either of the parties involved; the Federal Ministry of Education and ASUU could approach the NICN for out of court settlement.

    He maintained that Nigeria must be guided by laws and nobody should use the dispute to harass anybody.

    “The pro-chancellors said they want to do counter offer. I told them to do it as quickly as possible. Those are ingredients of labour relations.

    “It is not enough if you misinform your membership. That should be a disservice. We should read through things as it is and interpret same way. If I leave them in education, they will stay there two years,’’Ngige said.

    On the 40 years of NLC, Ngige said: “A fool at 40 is a fool forever. A wiseman at 40 is a wise man forever. NLC is a wise man forever.”

  • I will be surprised if NLC protest over ASUU strike – Ngige

    I will be surprised if NLC protest over ASUU strike – Ngige

    Minister of labour and employment, Chris Ngige says he will be surprised if the National Labour Congress (NLC) goes ahead with the planned protest scheduled for July 26 and 27 in solidarity with the strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

    The Minister also said the NLC has representatives on the negotiation with ASUU, and the congress is privy to all discussions with the university lecturers’ union.

    Addressing journalists, Ngige said such protest is against international labour practice.

    “It is a very incongruous situation I must tell you. Why? NLC is on the table of the discussion. They are there. I invited them as the head of the federation to which ASUU belongs, to which SSANU belongs, to which NAAT belongs, he said.

    “I invited them. And so, they are on the table as their senior partner. That’s one. Two, we have a National Labour Advisory Council inaugurated in January 2021. It is an ILO instrument, an ILO architecture for labour unions, governments, and the private sector to come together at any given time.

    “So, we’ve just finished our meeting in March, and this issue was tabled before them. And the NLC is in NLAC, the National Labour Advisory Council, and much more importantly, the head of NLC, Nigeria, has an affiliate of workers federation, worldover called International Trade Union Congress.

    “So, I will be surprised if he’s going ahead with his NEC to do a demonstration, knowing fully well that that is not permissible in international labour parlance.”

  • FG to meet ASUU demands as Buhari orders Ngige to stay off negotiation

    FG to meet ASUU demands as Buhari orders Ngige to stay off negotiation

    After much deliberation, President Muhammadu Buhari has directed Minister of Education Mallam Adamu Adamu to end the industrial actions with the striking Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU).

    The President ordered the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, to hands off negotiations with ASUU, with the government ready to meet most of their demands.

    Ngige’s role will only be limited to a conciliator when it is necessary.

    ASUU had repeatedly accused Ngige of blackmail and being a stumbling block to the negotiations.

    Buhari, who gave the directive during a briefing by the heads of the various concerned ministries, departments, and agencies of government on Tuesday in Abuja, also okayed the suggestion by the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, to take over the negotiations.

    Mr Adamu was said to have complained to the gathering the reason behind his prolonged silence on the matter, saying his labour and employment counterpart had since 2016 argued “that only the labour ministry has the mandate to negotiate with striking workers unions in Nigeria.”

    At Tuesday’s briefing, the concerned ministries, agencies and departments of government gave the status of the negotiations to the President.

    Those at the meeting with the president were the ministers of education, finance, labour, and communications and digital economy, Adamu Adamu, Zainab Ahmed, Mr Ngige and Isa Pantami respectively.

    Others were the Head of Service of the Federation, Folashade Yemi-Esan; Chairman of the National Salaries Income and Wages Commission, Ekpo Nta, and the Director-General of Budget Office, Ben Akabueze.

    A source at the meeting said that the President directed that the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, and Mr Ngige should only serve as observer and conciliators at the resolution meetings.

    The source further explained that the education minister has promised to immediately begin a series of meetings with ASUU to resolve the crisis as soon as possible.

    The source said: “The minister has consistently explained that the agreement reached with the previous administration on the release of about N1.3 trillion to the university system is not realistic but that something around a quarter of such can be worked out.

    “Also, in the salary structure being negotiated, the minister is open to paying a professor a salary not less than N1 million. That will be tabled before relevant agencies of government to arrive at implementable proposals so that the unions can take them to their members for consideration.”

    The source said because the minister believes the lecturers are patriotic Nigerians, the matter could be resolved.

    “So the President, agreed to this and asked him to take immediate action. ”

    ASUU President Prof Emmanuel Osodeke and his predecessor, Dr Nasir Fagge, at a briefing at ASUU National Headquarters in Abuja, said the union was waiting for the signing of the agreement that was reached.

    According to Fagge, the union was waiting for the government to give approval to the Briggs committee to sign the draft deal.

    He said: “We have negotiated with a duly mandated committee appointed by the government and we have reached a draft agreement.

    “We are waiting for this committee to get the final nod of the Federal Government to sign off this agreement and commence implementation.

    “However, the 100 per cent pay rise proposal is not before us.

    “If the government has this proposal, it knows the channels through which it will forward it to us and at that point, we will look at it and decide appropriately.

    “We started this process in 2017 when there was a problem with the Wale Babalakin Committee.

    “The government itself removed him and replaced him with another (Prof Jubril Munzali) committee.

    “We reached an agreement, but the government said it had a problem with that agreement.

    “They reconstituted the committee again, led by Nimi Briggs, and we have concluded this system.

    “All we are waiting for is the final consultation with those that gave the two parties the mandate to negotiate.”

    Osodeke said the union would not be stampeded or blackmailed.

    He also said the government did not need two weeks to end the strike as President Buhari mandated Adamu to ensure.

    Osodeke insisted that the union would call off the strike once the government agreed to sign the re-negotiated 2009 agreement.

    He said ASUU would not be blackmailed or be stampeded by lies against it by Ngige.

    “They stopped our salaries thinking they will make us go back to work. Let them sit down as directed by the President,” he said.

     

  • ASUU to call off strike soon – FG assures students

    ASUU to call off strike soon – FG assures students

    The Federal Government has assured students that the lingering ASUU strike will soon be called off as the tertiary institutions have been closed since February.

    Speaking after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by President Buhari at the Council Chambers of the Presidential Villa, Abuja, Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, said the end of the strike is in sight.

    Ngige, while speaking, said the Federal government is interested in seeing the students going back to school.

    Asked to be specific on what the government was doing to have the universities re-open, he replied: “It will be resolved very soon.”

    “We’re calling up a meeting tomorrow(today) so that everybody in the government side can report if he has a problem so that we can address it.”

    On the allegation that the government was planning a separate salary payment structure for the unions in tertiary institutions, he said, “It is work in progress. We have not given any preferential treatment to anybody.

    “The remuneration is being looked at. If the government decides to raise, which government is ready to do, it will be holistically done for all university unions because they’re all in the same environment.

    “And we know also that once you do it in universities, the Polytechnics will come. The Colleges of Education will come. They are all educational sector. And once you finish with the educational sector, we also know that the health sector will come.”

  • BREAKING: Chris Ngige pulls out of presidential race

    BREAKING: Chris Ngige pulls out of presidential race

    Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chris Ngige has pulled out of the presidential race after consulting with President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday.

    TheNewsGuru.com, (TNG) reports the minister via a statement he issued and signed by him stating that:

    “Today, 13th May 2022, I had an audience with the President, Muhammadu Buhari as a follow up to the one I earlier had with him on 11th May 2022.

    _”Having also consulted widely with my family, constituents, supporters, and well-wishers, it is my pleasure to announce the withdrawal of my interest and earlier decision to contest the office of the President in the 2023 general elections.

    “As a result of this, I will NOT be participating in any of the internal party processes of the said election, starting with the primary.

    “I took this momentous decision firstly in the overall interest of the nation, in order to enable me to concentrate on my job, and assist the President and the Government, weather the difficult last lap, in the life of the administration and secondly for other family reasons.

    “I have since communicated this decision to the President and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

    “My constituents, political associates, and well-wishers across the country are by this statement informed of this latest decision, which also has the blessing and support of the overwhelming majority, hence supersedes any other interest, personal or otherwise.

    Read full statement below:

    WITHDRAWAL OF MY PRESIDENTIAL ASPIRATION

    On Tuesday, 19th April 2022, I publicly declared my interest to contest for the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, following the constitutional provision that precludes our amiable incumbent President, Muhammadu Buhari from seeking re-election to the office, as he would have completed his two terms in office by 29th May 2023. The declaration was made in my hometown, Alor, Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State.

    My declaration was sequel to pressure on me from my constituents, political associates, friends and other well-meaning Nigerians, who felt I possess the necessary qualifications and experience for the job. Some of these supporters even taxed themselves to procure the Expression of Interest/ Nomination Forms of our Party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) for me. The forms however are yet to be filled and submitted.

    Today, 13th May 2022, I had an audience with the President, Muhammadu Buhari as a follow up to the one I earlier had with him on 11th May 2022.

    Having also consulted widely with my family, constituents, supporters, and well-wishers, it is my pleasure to announce the withdrawal of my interest and earlier decision to contest the office of the President in the 2023 general elections.

    As a result of this, I will NOT be participating in any of the internal party processes of the said election, starting with the primary.

    I took this momentous decision firstly in the overall interest of the nation, in order to enable me concentrate on my job, and assist the President and the Government, weather the difficult last lap, in the life of the administration and secondly for other family reasons.

    I have since communicated this decision to the President and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

    My constituents, political associates and well-wishers across the country are by this statement informed of this latest decision, which also has the blessing and support of the overwhelming majority, hence supersedes any other interest, personal or otherwise.

    Thanks and God’s blessings.

     

    Senator(Dr.) Chris Nwabueze Ngige, MD, OON

    Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment.