THE JOINT National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC) (Trade Union Side), has called on the federal government to expedite actions on the process of getting a new living wage for workers and immediate implementation.
The Chairman of the council, Mr Benjamin Anthony, made the call at the opening of the 2023 Meetings of the Separate and Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council, on Tuesday in Nasarawa State.
Anthony, represented by Mr Bomai Ibrahim, JNPSNC’s Secretary-General, said that the current minimum wage of N30, 000 had since been eroded, considering the present economic realities in the country.
He said in view of this, there was a need to expedite actions on getting a new living wage for workers as well as implementing as this would bring succor to the civil servants.
“We must all agree that the current Minimum Wage of N30, 000 has since been eroded by high exchange rate coupled with the abrupt removal of fuel subsidy which has translated into high cost of living in the country.
“There is no gain saying that the cost of a bag of rice is far more than the so called ‘Minimum Wage’, and to worsen the situation, government is not prompt in the payment of the collectively and freely agreed N35, 000 wage award.
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“In the light of the above, Labour has proposed a living wage of $300 for Nigerian workers. This is due to the fall in the value of our currency and today if you carry N100, 000 to the market, you will come back with a leather bag of items,” he said.
He appealed to the government to pay the arrears of the N35, 000 wage award among other arrears it owed the workers to alleviate their suffering.
Similarly, the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HOCSF), Dr Folasade Yemi-Esan, speaking at the event, said the forum was expedient as it would highlights the importance of review of operation/working systems in the public service.
Represented by Dr Comfort Adeosun, Director, overseeing the office of the Permanent Secretary, Social Welfare office, HOCSF, Yemi-Esan said that the forum was aimed at enhancing performance and result oriented practices.
This, she said would further promote efficiency and effectiveness in service delivery to the public.
“To this end, structured dialogue is necessary at periodic intervals, for constructive engagement and warm interaction with stakeholders.
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“Concerted interaction between both parties will promote cordial relationship between employer and employee in the public service, which would further enhance sustained industrial peace and harmony in the workplace,” she said.
In the same vain, Gov. Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State, who declared the event open, described the forum as gathering for collective commitment to build a better Nigeria.
Sule, who was represented by the state Head of Service, Mrs Abigail Waya, said the gathering which was aimed at digitilisation of service, was not a mere formality but a corner stone of the democratic journey to reform the nation’s public service.
“Under our leadership, Nasarawa State has embraced technology as a key to efficient service delivery, we are moving beyond outdated models and we are embracing innovation to ensure citizens’ swift and seamless services,” he said. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), reports that the 2-day forum, which attracted representatives across all the states of the federation has as its theme “Digitalisation as an Effective and Efficient Tool for Service Delivery in the Public Service”. (NAN)
