Nigeria. Government Meets Labour Over Wage Saga As Pensioners Threaten Protest
The Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, has met with organised labour over the minimum wage imbroglio.
The Guardian learnt yesterday in Abuja that the meeting with the president of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Ayuba Wabba, and his Trade Union Congress (TUC) counterpart, Bobboi Kaigama, was to avert the October 30 rally and November 6 nationwide strike by the unions.
It was also learnt that the scribe demanded a full account of what transpired during earlier negotiations with a view to engaging state governments on an acceptable figure ahead of the threatened industrial action.
Also, the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) has threatened to picket the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) over their alleged 12-month arrears in the wake of the 33 per cent pension increase of 2010.
NUP’s national president, Dr Abel Afolayan, also demanded a harmonised pension upon approval of a new national wage. Speaking yesterday in Abuja, he cited sections 173 (3) and 210 (3) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) to justify their position. Specifically, the provisions say: “Pensions shall be reviewed every five years or together with any Federal Civil Service salary reviews whichever is earlier.”
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