Organised labour has described a statement by the Minister of Labour and Employment Chris Ngige, that the Federal Government might sack some workers in the public service should labour insist on having its way on the implementation of the thirty thousand naira minimum wage as mere blackmail.
The Secretary, Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council Alade Lawal, said that labour would not be intimidated by such threat. He also criticized claim by Ngige that government would require five hundred and eighty billion naira annually to pay workers the minimum wage across board as demanded by labour.
Lawal said the government team negotiating the consequential adjustment on minimum wage was yet to reach out to labour to tell them when negotiation would resume. He insisted that labour would not back down on its percentage increase demand from government for workers on levels 7-14 and levels 15-17.
A statement issued by Ngige’s Special Adviser on Media, Nwachukwu Obidiwe quoted the minister as asking workers to make some sacrifice for the country.
