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By Nasir Kura
The federal government Tuesday inaugurated a committee to negotiate the consequential adjustment in salaries arising from the new N30,000 national minimum wage signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari last month.
The committee has four weeks to submit its reports, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Mr Boss Mustapha said while inaugurating the committee.
The committee is chaired by the Head of Civil Service of the Federation Mrs Winifred Oyo-Ita with the SGF as the alternate chairman.
Members of the committee from the government side are the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Minister of Education, Minister of Health, Minister Budget and National Planning, Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Director General of Budget Office of the Federation, Secretary of Federal Judicial Service Commission, Secretary of National Assembly Service Commission and the chairman of National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission who would serve as Secretary.
Other members of the committee from the trade union side are 10 representatives nominated by the Joint National Public Service Negotiation Council.
The SGF said the primary mandate of the committee is to negotiate the consequential adjustment in salaries arising from the new national minimum wage.
“I have no doubt in my mind that you have abundant literature, reports and other materials to help this assignment. The duration of the assignment is four clear weeks from this inauguration. It is expected that the Committee will work assiduously to complete the assignment.
“I urge the committee to amicably consider the issue of relativity and consequential adjustment with thoroughness, bearing in mind the welfare of the nation’s workforce vis-à-vis the current economic reality,” he said.
Speaking on behalf of members of the committee, the Head of Civil Service of the Federation Mrs Winifred Oyo-Ita said the upward review of wage in civil service is timely.
She said said concerted efforts have been made by various stakeholders to ensure that workers in the country receive wages commensurate with their output in the public service considering the prevailing socio-economic realities.
