Federal Government Blames Delays On Payment Of New Minimum Wage On Financial Constraints

Nigerian Workers on grade level 07 to 17 may have to wait a while before receiving the new minimum wage of thirty thousand Naira as the federal governments says conflicting issues on consequential adjustment is yet to be resolved.

Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige said the federal government was not averse to implementing the new Wage but mindful of the financial constraints the country was facing at the moment.

Meeting the Leaders of the Labour Union for the first time after his re-appointment as the Minister of labour, Chief Ngige said controversy trailing the consequential adjustment between government and Labour stakeholders was unnecessary.

He noted that it is unfortunate that recent meetings and negotiations on grade levels 7 to 17 were deadlocked but assured that government and Labour would move further to resolve the issue soon.

On rising unemployment in the country, the Minister said the situation was getting worrisome following cases of kidnapping, banditry, terrorism such as Boko Haram were some of the manifestations of rising joblessness.

The Nigeria Labour Congress led by it's President, Ayuba Wabba, said it has becomes imperative to meet with Minister to resolve the grey areas after the confrontations between stakeholders in the sector for the interest of the Nigerian Workers.

The meeting was attended by the new Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo who met with leaders of the labour union for the first time after his redeployment from the Ministry of Niger Delta.