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Tag: Ngige

  • FG, ASUU to resume negotiation over prolonged strike

    FG, ASUU to resume negotiation over prolonged strike

    The Federal Government says it will resume its negotiations with the striking Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) next week, with a view to ending the prolonged closure of Nigerian public universities.

    The Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige, said this in his opening remark at a meeting between the government side and the striking National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT).

    Ngige noted that the multiple industrial disputes in the education sector could have been averted if the unions in the sector took advantage of his open door policy like the health unions.

    He said that the open door culminated in the peace currently enjoyed in the health sector.

    The minister, however, decried the rivalry between the two education unions. He made it clear that everybody was important in the university system.

    He gave assurance that the government was tackling all the disputes in education sector holistically, knowing fully well that none of the unions could function effectively without the other.

    “If you are from any union, you don’t need to book appointment to see me. The doctors started using that advantage, JOHESU also did the same.

    “That is why the Health Sector is quiet. But the education unions don’t take advantage of my open door policy.

    “We don’t have to cry over spilt milk. Let us look at your issues to see the ones we can handle immediately, the ones we can do in the medium term and the ones we can do in the long term.

    “There are certain ones that are over and above me that are not in my hands to do.

    “My job is to prepare an agreement after conciliation on what you have agreed with your employers, the Federal Ministry of Education, put timelines and monitor them, to see whether the results will be there,” he said.

    He added that, as a conciliator, he managed the unions in measured steps.

    “That is why I want to take all of you holistically and I ask for your cooperation. When I finish with you today, I will continue with ASUU next week.

    “I have met NASU and SSANU yesterday (Thursday) and they were happy. I want you people to be happy as we leave here,” he said.

    Ngige also said that what was causing the rumpus in the industrial milieu were economic, bordering on money and welfare, including old arrears and 2009 renegotiation of Conditions of Service.

    “I believe that if we talk frankly to ourselves, knowing fully well that the economy is not good and that you should have money that can take you home.

    “With an open mind, we will arrive at something. Once we arrive at something, it will be done,” he said.

    He, however, noted that the renegotiation of the 2009 agreement would not be immediate because the Education Ministry had put in place a committee to handle it.

    Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Andrew Adejo re-emphasised that all the issues in dispute were basically economic, in the sense that everybody wants improved conditions of service.

    Adejo said, while government agreed that workers should enjoy better Conditions of Service, consistent industrial actions were worsening the situation.

    “In 2000 when this agreement was signed, N400,000 was equivalent to 3000 dollars. Today, that N400,000 is less than 400 dollars. Because of this consistent trend, we are reducing productivity in the economy,” he said.

    Ngige added that, the things that would help us to generate more money to meet these demands had been taken away.

    He, therefore, called for the speedy resolution of the disputes to enable the children to return to school.

    Also, NAAT President, Ibeji Nwokoma, said ordinarily, they would not have gone on strike, but they were compelled to do so because the Education Ministry didn’t help matters in the issue.

    He said they embarked on strike as a last resort to draw government attention to their plight.The Federal Government says it will resume its negotiations with the striking Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) next week, with a view to ending the prolonged closure of Nigerian public universities.

    The Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige, said this in his opening remark at a meeting between the government side and the striking National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT).

    Ngige noted that the multiple industrial disputes in the education sector could have been averted if the unions in the sector took advantage of his open door policy like the health unions.

    He said that the open door culminated in the peace currently enjoyed in the health sector.

    The minister, however, decried the rivalry between the two education unions. He made it clear that everybody was important in the university system.

    He gave assurance that the government was tackling all the disputes in education sector holistically, knowing fully well that none of the unions could function effectively without the other.

    “If you are from any union, you don’t need to book appointment to see me. The doctors started using that advantage, JOHESU also did the same.

    “That is why the Health Sector is quiet. But the education unions don’t take advantage of my open door policy.

    “We don’t have to cry over spilt milk. Let us look at your issues to see the ones we can handle immediately, the ones we can do in the medium term and the ones we can do in the long term.

    “There are certain ones that are over and above me that are not in my hands to do.

    “My job is to prepare an agreement after conciliation on what you have agreed with your employers, the Federal Ministry of Education, put timelines and monitor them, to see whether the results will be there,” he said.

    He added that, as a conciliator, he managed the unions in measured steps.

    “That is why I want to take all of you holistically and I ask for your cooperation. When I finish with you today, I will continue with ASUU next week.

    “I have met NASU and SSANU yesterday (Thursday) and they were happy. I want you people to be happy as we leave here,” he said.

    Ngige also said that what was causing the rumpus in the industrial milieu were economic, bordering on money and welfare, including old arrears and 2009 renegotiation of Conditions of Service.

    “I believe that if we talk frankly to ourselves, knowing fully well that the economy is not good and that you should have money that can take you home.

    “With an open mind, we will arrive at something. Once we arrive at something, it will be done,” he said.

    He, however, noted that the renegotiation of the 2009 agreement would not be immediate because the Education Ministry had put in place a committee to handle it.

    Also speaking, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Andrew Adejo re-emphasised that all the issues in dispute were basically economic, in the sense that everybody wants improved conditions of service.

    Adejo said, while government agreed that workers should enjoy better Conditions of Service, consistent industrial actions were worsening the situation.

    “In 2000 when this agreement was signed, N400,000 was equivalent to 3000 dollars. Today, that N400,000 is less than 400 dollars. Because of this consistent trend, we are reducing productivity in the economy,” he said.

    Ngige added that, the things that would help us to generate more money to meet these demands had been taken away.

    He, therefore, called for the speedy resolution of the disputes to enable the children to return to school.

    Also, NAAT President, Ibeji Nwokoma, said ordinarily, they would not have gone on strike, but they were compelled to do so because the Education Ministry didn’t help matters in the issue.

    He said they embarked on strike as a last resort to draw government attention to their plight.

  • 2023 presidency: Why I won’t resign before APC primaries – Minister

    2023 presidency: Why I won’t resign before APC primaries – Minister

    After the ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) issued new guidelines for political office holders interested in contesting for an elective office to leave office 30 days before party primaries, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, has insisted he won’t resign.

    TheNewsGuru reports that Ngige has given reasons he won’t resign yet to contest the 2023 presidential race.

    The minister who had declared to run for the presidency in 2023, disclosed that he has not received any specific instruction from the All Progressives Congress (APC) on his presidential ambition.

    Speaking to newsmen after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting on Wednesday, Ngige denied knowledge of the APC directives that all appointees should resign ahead of the May 30 presidential primary.

    He maintained that his decision to remain a member of the Federal Executive Council is in line with the 1999 Constitution, as amended.

    The Minister further stated that the March 18 judgement of the Federal High Court in Umuahia, struck out Section 84(12) of the Electoral Act, adding that he is under no compulsion to resign his appointment.

    When asked when he will resign in line with his party directives, he said: “Because I don’t know about that I’m hearing for the first time from you. But like I always say, I’ll be guided by the letters and spirit of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

    The Minister of State for Education, Chukwuemeka Nwajiuba said the constitution permits aspirants to resign only 30 days to the poll.

    But, at the state level, more appointees have continued to tender their resignation, following their declaration of intention to run for political offices.

    Section 3(i) of the APC guidelines for the nomination of candidates for the 2023 general elections says “no political appointee at any level shall be a voting delegate or be voted for the purpose of the nomination of candidates.

    “Any political office holder interested in contesting for an elective office shall leave office 30 days, prior to the date of election or party primary for the office sought.”

  • Just In: High hopes as FG, ASUU meet behind closed doors

    Just In: High hopes as FG, ASUU meet behind closed doors

    Over the ongoing strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, is currently having a meeting with ASUU officials in Abuja.

    The meeting, which started around 5pm on Monday, may have raised hopes of university students going back to school.

    It is also part of a last-minute move by the federal government to end the recurring industrial action by ASUU.

    The union began its latest strike on 14 February before extending it for another two months.

    Despite criticisms on its part, ASUU had been adamant that the strike will linger until the government accede to demands bothering on revitalization funds and discrepancies associated with the Integrated Personnel Payment and Payroll System IPPIS.

  • Why Nigerian youths are not employable – Minister

    Why Nigerian youths are not employable – Minister

    The Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige, says most youths are unemployed because of lack of functional skills.

    Ngige said this while declaring open a one-day trade Job, Career and Employability Fair, on Thursday in Abuja.

    The fair was organised by the Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA) in collaboration with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) with the theme: “Promoting Employability, Skills Development and Decent Work’’.

    Ngige, represented by Mrs Tilda Mmegwa, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Job Creation said all stakeholders must be actively involved in preparing the African workforce for the ‘future of work’.

    According to him, the Nigerian government is conscious of the fact that most of the unemployed are those without functional skills.

    “Our strategy, therefore, is to equip the unemployed youths with market-driven skills, which will facilitate their access to self or paid employment.

    “In recognition of this reality, my ministry is keenly committed to equipping unemployed graduates with entry point competences to make them employable.

    “I am therefore happy to inform you that my ministry is scheduled to train 37,000 unemployed graduates, 1,000 in each of the states of the federation and FCT, on soft skills and marketable resume.

    “In the coming months, we will also train 3,500 unemployed youth in various vocations including fashion design, catering and event management, solar panel and CCTV installation, among others,’’ he said.

    The minister said that each of the trainees would be empowered with starter packs to immediately venture into business.

    He said that the initiatives showcased the commitment of the present administration to provide the young unemployed jobs seekers with the cutting-edge skills to start a self or a paid one.

  • Without Buhari, Nigeria would not have been in peace – Ngige

    Without Buhari, Nigeria would not have been in peace – Ngige

    Sen. Chris Ngige, the Minister of Labour and Emnployment says without President Muhammadu Buhari’s leadership style, the experience of Nigeria would have been like some nations in severe crises.

    Ngige therefore described leadership as very critical to the survival of any human society.

    Ngige said this after his induction as a Distinguished Honorary Fellow of the Institute of Leadership, Enterprenuership and Corporate Governance (INSLEC) on Wednesday in Abuja.

    INSLEC is a leading global professional body of both present and aspiring leaders, entrepreneurs and people in corporate governance.

    Ngige made this known in a statement by Mr Charles Akpan, the Deputy Director, Press and Public Relations in the ministry.

    He said that Nigeria was passing through hard times not because of the current government, but as a result of poor planning over the years.

    According to him, a good leader must be visionary, see things others are not seeing and things that can be projected futuristically and bring them out for implementation.

    “A good leader must be an implementation man; he should be knowledgeable, because after the vision, he will dissect and crystalise them; he should be a jack of all trade and master of all.

    “He may not score distinction in all but should be able to score distinction in many.

    “He must also be courageous to implement hard decisions. If you don’t implement courageously, some of the visions will die or will not be implemented for the good of all.

    “He must also be compassionate, knowing when to tamper justice with mercy, to show the human part of him.

    “He should exude milk of human kindness. I know that our country is passing through a very rough time now because we have not planned well. It is not this administration.

    ”We know we were all dependent on oil. So, when oil prices came crashing and when security issues arose, disrupting production, we were caught napping.

    “Because of that we went into recession. Later on COVID-19 forced us to go into a second recession. We are not yet out of the woods.

    “We thank God. I am part of this government. I know that if we don’t have the kind of leader that we have, who is strong like President Muhammadu Bihari, the experience of Nigeria would have been like that of Venezuela,” he said.

    Ngige said that the citizens of Nigeria would have spilled into the Cameroons, Niger and other places as refugees. We were looking forward to it. But he forced us all to go into agriculture.

    ”We made agriculture the first signature programme of the administration and provided food security so that we can eat whatever we grow here,”he said.

    He noted that Nigeria had stopped the importation of rice, sorghum, millet, tomatoes and other things hitherto imported, all of which were dependent on the scarce foreign exchange.

    According to him, the country’s GDP grew by 5.01 per cent in fourth quarter 2021, the highest in the last seven years, marking three consecutive quarters of growth, following the negative growths recorded in the second and third quarters of 2020.

    “Services provided the lead, followed by agriculture, even though it had a deep and then, followed by Information and Communication Technology (ICT).

    “So, we have to be grateful to the government and our leader, President Muhammadu Buhari, for standing firm that we will not import food anymore here.

    ”Even if he didn’t stand firm, we didn’t have the money anymore to start importing potatoes, tooth pick, chocolate and others,” he said.

    Ngige, however, dedicated the fellowship to the ordinary Nigerians, saying that he believed in the have-nots and would continue to fight for them wherever he found himself.

    He commeded the institute and chairman of the governing board for the fellowship and pledged to be a good member, not only in terms of participation, but also loyalty and obedience to the institute.

    Earlier, Prof. Gabriel Emecheta, President/Chairman of the council said the decision to elect Ngige as a Distinguished Honorary Fellow of the INSLEC spoke volumes about his pristine and differentiated worth as a leader, mentor and bridge builder.

    Prof. Ayandiji Aina, the Chairman, Planning and Resource Committee extolled Ngige’s creativity, confidence, decisiveness, humility and trustworthiness, describing him as a conflict manager of great distinction.

    The Chairman, Business and Development Committee of INSLEC, Chief O’tega Emerhor, while expressing gratitude to Ngige for accepting to be a member, praised him for imbibing wholeheartedly the spirit of the institute.

    “We have been following your antecedents and what you are doing in the ministry and what you did as Governor in Anambra State.

    ”We appreciate your joining the institute and admit that with your brand name, the institute will make tremendous progress,” he said.

  • Anambra guber: Why I rejected money to support Uba’s APC candidacy

    Anambra guber: Why I rejected money to support Uba’s APC candidacy

    Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige has revealed that he was offered money to accept the victory of the candidate of the party in the just concluded governorship election, Senator Andy Uba.

    Ngige said he was aware that no primary election took place to nominate Uba as the flag bearer of the party in the state but some people were offering him money to accept that the election went well.

    Ngige, who was addressing members of the party on New Year’s Day in his community, Alor said he rejected the money because it was against his conscience.

    “13 persons went for the election (primary) and I told them I do not have anointed aspirant. I told them it is God who makes a governor, it is also God who makes a president. I told them to go to the field and convince everyone to vote for them.

    “I told them what was going to happen was direct primaries, either by secret ballot or option A4. These aspirants listened to me and used their hard-earned money to run for the election.

    “None of them is a thief or stole money, so they used their hard-earned money and we did a primary election and we said everyone would go to their ward, that voting will take place from 8 am to 4 pm.

    “I even came from Abuja to participate in the process. Somebody of my status could not vote. I didn’t see any electoral materials here in Alor ward one. I am from this place, with no electoral officials or materials except INEC officials. There were the only people who came, our party officials never came.

    “By 5 pm, I called Governor Dapo Abiodun and told him nothing happened. I told him to postpone the election from Saturday to Monday he said okay, but they ended up announcing the result.”

    Ngige who however failed to disclose who offered him money said: “At the end, they said I should come and take money and say the election held. I, Chris Ngige should come and take money and say an election that I never participated in has held.

    “I told them I have all the money I needed, and that I have contested for all the positions I needed to contest for. It is only one position that I have not contested for. We are the founding fathers of this party, these were the same people who stood against us in the early days of APC and called us Boko Haram party.

    “Today, they are saying Ngige does not want people to come in and that I am now putting people who are my brothers in position. Do not listen to them, they are lying.”

    Ngige who also spoke about the decision to make Uba the leader of the party in the state said: “There is nothing like a leader in APC constitution. If you want to answer leader, you answer, but there is no such thing in the constitution of the APC.”

    He said: “2023 is the reason all these wayo people are here moving about, they have gone to collect money from people that they will work for them, but we will not allow them.

    “Now, they are going about saying they have written the names of the people who will become the ward, local government and state executive, but do not listen to them. It was the same way they wrote election results for the Anambra election and were going about, but when they brought it, it was dismissed.

    “It is the same way they will dismiss the list they are bandying about today. We will hold a very credible congress in Anambra State.”

  • I always knew he will one day be Anambra governor, Ngige congratulates Soludo, gives kudos to Buhari

    I always knew he will one day be Anambra governor, Ngige congratulates Soludo, gives kudos to Buhari

    The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, has congratulated Professor Charles Soludo of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) on his victory in the Anambra State governorship election.

    Ngige, in a goodwill message on Wednesday, said the victory of the former governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in the poll was well deserved.

    “Ndi-Anambra have spoken with this resounding victory,” he said. “Having contested in 2010 with Soludo, who was then the PDP candidate and myself in ACN – an election in which I was ‘awarded’ the second position even though I won outright and Soludo third, I knew that with his tenacity of purpose and drive, he would one day make it to the seat of the Governor of Anambra State.

    “It is a case in patience and endurance, an aspiration nurtured to serve the people with all his strength, I seriously believe. Ndi-Anambra I know, will hence, entertain no excuses.

    “Much has been given, hence the expectation is very high. Knowing Soludo as I do, however, I have no doubt that our people have made an excellent choice by voting him.”

    The minister also congratulated the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for conducting a free, fair, and credible election, even with the initial hiccups posed by the malfunctioning of the Biometric Voters’ Accreditation (BVAS) system in some places.

    According to him, an opportunity has been offered to INEC to brace up to the challenges posed by the Anambra election, especially with the debut of the BVAS technology for more credible, free, and fair elections in the future.

    “At this auspicious juncture, the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari deserves a glowing national tribute,” said Ngige. “I put on record, that Mr President had on three different occasions, assured through me, that the Anambra governorship election would be free and fair.

    “The last of such occasion being on October 14, 2021, when I conveyed the fear and the consternation of the religious leaders, elder statesmen, and traditional rulers of Anambra State, more especially that of his friend, the Archbishop of the Onitsha Metropolitan Province, His Grace, Dr. Valerian Okeke to him in his office.

    “Not only did the President ensure a level playing field for all the political parties, he directed all the security agencies to deploy into Anambra to protect and secure voters and electoral workers. A promise kept!”

    Ngige added, “Worthy of commendation in this direction, is the professionalism exhibited by the security agencies – the army, police, DSS and the civil defence during the exercise, in compliance with the wish of the President for the good people of Anambra State.

    “The election has come and gone, and it is very free, fair, and credible. Mr President has indeed lived true to his assurances to Ndi-Anambra and by this very fact, demonstrated once again that he is no enemy to Ndi-Igbo. What a better value to democracy, than a legacy of credible elections, in which the will of the people reigns supreme. May we, therefore, hail this true democrat!”

  • Medical doctors, other health workers who train in Nigeria must serve for nine years before seeking greener pastures elsewhere – FG

    Medical doctors, other health workers who train in Nigeria must serve for nine years before seeking greener pastures elsewhere – FG

    The Federal Government has frowned at some medical doctors who flee the country after graduating from medical school without giving back in service to the country (Nigeria) they trained ‘for free’ at public expense.

    The Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige who disclosed this at the 2022 Budget Defence of his Ministry at the House of Representatives on Wednesday in Abuja therefore recommended bonding of medical and other health workers so they can serve the country before leaving for anywhere.

    “Medical education in Nigeria is almost free. Where else in the world is it free? The Presidential Committee on Health should come with a proposal for bonding doctors, nurses, medical laboratory scientists and other health workers, so that they don’t just carry their bags and walk out of their country at will when they were trained at no cost.

    “In London, it is 45,000 pounds a session for medical education in cheap in universities. If you go to Edinburgh or Oxford, you pay $80,000. If you go to USA you pay $45,000 but if you go to the Ivy leagues, you pay $90,000 for only tuition, excluding lodging. You do it for six years. So, people in America take loans.

    “We can make provisions for loans and you pay back. If government will train you for free, we should bond you. You serve the country for nine years before you go anywhere,” the Minister said in a statement issued by Deputy Director, Press and Public Relations of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Charles Akpan.

    Meanwhile, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) has given a waiver for employment in health, defence and paramilitary to ensure that those who leave for greener pastures were replaced.

    Ngige explained that the waiver was granted by the government despite an embargo on recruitment into public service.

    The Minister said to address the incessant labour crises in the county, the government would introduce mandatory training for newly elected labour leaders at the National Institute of Labour Studies (NILS).

    He said the proposed training will equip the labour leaders with the knowledge of Labour laws and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) conventions to curb the incessant industrial disputes in the country.

    Ngige also revealed that his Ministry has made provision for the establishment of Rapid Response Labour Desk Offices across the 36 States of the Federation to help nip some of these industrial crises in the bud.

  • AnambraDecides2021: Ngige, Soludo blasts INEC over failed technology

    AnambraDecides2021: Ngige, Soludo blasts INEC over failed technology

    The Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, and the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Anambra State, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, on Saturday, faulted the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the malfunctioning of the Bi-Modal Voter Accreditation System (BIVAS).

    According to reports, the machines failed to work in many units, leaving thousands of voters stranded.

    The machine could not capture Ngige in Alor Ward 1 Polling Unit for over an hour.

    The minister feared the failure of the technology could disfranchise over 35 per cent of voters in his ward.

    He said INEC should not keep such equipment for too long in the warehouse.

    The situation isn’t any different with Soludo in his polling unit.

    As of 1pm, the candidate was yet to cast his vote.

    He alleged that the situation was similar in many parts of the state.

    However, he called for his supporters to exercise patience, describing himself as a “process person”.

    “Voting is yet to start in most of the polling units in the state. And for the few places where they are doing, I understand that accreditation that is supposed to be done in seconds, takes up to 30 minutes,” Soludo said. “With the crowd here, you don’t need a mathematician to know that people standing here, will not be exhausted.

    “So this raises fundamental questions about the technology. I’m quite a bit shocked. And this is all over the state. I’ve been getting calls from virtually every local government without exception, about the glitches, and the fact that people are not voting. Places where you have about 800, 900 people there you probably have about five, six that have voted so far.

    “The fundamental problem is the failure of the technology that is being tried in Anambra; it just hasn’t worked up to till this minute.”

    Soludo also lamented the paucity of INEC staff in many polling units.

    “There is hardly any ward that there are INEC officials in all the polling units,” he said.

    “There is one at Uke that is supposed to be 17 polling units, but you have INEC officials in only five.

    “Also, the security. As you can see, there is no police official here. And that is also widespread across the state. In Ihiala local government, the latest report I have is that the materials haven’t even left the local government, let alone get to the polling unit.

    “I’m a diehard optimist. I’m still hoping to see if we can have water out of the stone, so to speak. I believe I’m a process person. I’m very confident about the process. The INEC Chairman assured us of the robustness of this new technology, that they tried it somewhere for a rerun of the state assembly; but that’s a small location, depending on how the network is in place. Now, the fundamental thing they are complaining about is the network. It’s 1pm, it hasn’t worked.

    “My message to all our supporters, millions of them across the state, that have enthusiastically looked forward to this day, I say to you: let’s be patient. They told us it’s going to work. And I am patient.”

  • How unemployment, underemployment fuel insecurity in Nigeria – Labour and Employment Minister

    How unemployment, underemployment fuel insecurity in Nigeria – Labour and Employment Minister

    The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige has attributed Nigeria’s worsening insecurity to unemployment and underemployment.

    He urged the elites, particularly employers of labour, to address the twin problems so that peace and security could prevail across the land.

    TheNewsGuru.com, TNG reports that Ngige spoke in Abuja on Monday while hosting the national officers of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), led by their National President Chinedu Okoronkwo, who was accompanied by the association’s consultant, Dr. Maurice Ibe of The Benham Group.

    The IPMAN leaders were in the minister’s office to seek his support for the association’s plan to enrol its over 2.5 million members into the Federal Government’s Micro Pension Plan (MPP). Officials of the National Pension Commission (PENCOM) were also present.

    Ngige said: “A lot of the insecurity problems that we have are caused by unemployment and underemployment.

    “In underemployment, people are not making money up to the minimum wage of N30,000 monthly or they are not working up to eight hours in a week, which is the International Labour Organisation (ILO) standard. For full employment, that person must be in a workplace and doing eight hours.

    “Insecurity is caused by people who feel cheated by the society. They carry arms, they carry daggers, among other things, to vent their anger against the elites.

    “So, the elites in Nigeria are endangered, including me, all of us. So, the sooner we start talking to the elites in employer organisations, like yours, the better, so that we can cure this malady and prevent it from escalating,” he said.

    Ngige lauded the initiative by IPMAN leadership and urged other sub-groups in the informal sector, particularly the proprietors of private schools, to emulate the association in formalising their labour relations and ensure that they comply with the minimum wage requirement.

    Okoronkwo said the visit was informed by IPMAN’s understanding that Ngige and his ministry were central to realising the association’s plan to enrol its over 2 million members into the MPP of the Federal Government.

    “In trying to see how we can add value to the welfare of our workers, we discovered the Micro Pension Plan (MPP) of the Federal Government. We deemed it necessary that IPMAN must key into this programme, having got the approval of the National Executive Council (INEC) of our association,” he said.