Failure to assent minimum wage: FG blames administrative process

AS the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) spoils for war with the Federal Government over the failure of President Goodluck Jonathan to sign the N18,000 national minimum wage Act and ensure immediate commencement of its implementation, the government has blamed the failure on administrative process.Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu, who gave the explanation, also dispelled media speculations trailing the new National Minimum Wage, and assured that President Goodluck Jonathan would assent the Act and ensure its immediate implementation.According to the minister,President Jonathan is committed to the assent and the implementation of the new National Minimum Wage Act.In a statement signed by the Assistant Director (Press), Prince Samuel Olowookere, the minister stressed that the delay in the signing was as a result of administrative processes at various levels of governance which were in the interest of the Nigerian workforce.Chief Wogu assured all organised labour union that the administration of Jonathan recognised their agitation while assuring them that no time was lost yet as Mr. President was committed to assenting and implementing the new National Minimum Wage.Trade unions are known for agitation and one of the goals of agitations is to prove their point and they have given government notice and the government is conscious of the notice and we know that things could be done within the time limit and we will be able to look at the issue that is at stake, he said.The minister called on all Nigerian workers to support the Presidential bid of President Jonathan as this administration was labour friendly.He said: Let me also take this opportunity to remind Nigerian workers that the administration of Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan is labour friendly.  It has initiated the new minimum wage bill, which has been passed by the National Assembly; it has bridged the gap in salaries    between directors and permanent secretaries at the Federal level of bureaucracy.
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