The Organised Labour has warned the President Muhammadu Buhari government against any attempt to delay or truncate the newly-agreed N30,000 national minimum wage.
It said such move would have a devastating effect on the country. It also cried out over the issue of corruption, saying it remained one of the major challenges facing the nation.
President of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, ASCSN, Bobboi Kaigama said this while addressing the National Executive Council, NEC, meeting of the association, in Abuja.
Kaigama, who also serves as the President of Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, stressed on the need for the government to fast-track implementation of the newly agreed national minimum wage.
He said, “It is apt to state that against all odds, the Tripartite Committee that negotiated the new Minimum Wage was able to scale all hurdles and agreed on N30,000 as the new minimum wage for the country.
“It is on this premise that I strongly want to appeal to the Federal Government to fast track the process of enacting the new National Minimum Wage into law.
“Our expectation is that the government should be able to complete the entire process before the end of this year so that workers who have waited for so long can begin to enjoy a new lease of life provided by the new minimum wage.
“The Federal Government is advised to avoid any action that can delay or truncate the process of enacting the new Minimum Wage as the consequences of allowing that to happen can be very devastating.”
He continued, “This situation has been made worse by the fact that since 2010 when salary review was carried out in the core civil service, no salary increment has been granted to civil servants except for the N900 monthly that was added to the emoluments of senior officers across board after N18,000 was approved as the National Minimum Wage in 2011.
“I must now dwell on the vexed issue of illegal recruitment and appointment of officers including Permanent Secretaries into the Civil Service which we have been battling over the years.
“The vexed issue of corruption still remains one of the major challenges facing us as a nation. This hydra-headed monster continues to loom large in our country in spite of the initial steps taken to address the menace by the present administration.
“Corruption in Nigeria has now assumed a very alarming proportion that can be described as horrendous. The Nigerian political class should know that there is no way this country can be inspired to greatness if this beast is not decapitated and rooted out of our system before it leads to catastrophic consequences.”