The Federal Executive Council (FEC) Wednesday approved payment of arrears of the new national minimum wage agree between the federal government and organised labour.
Briefing State House correspondents at the end of the weekly FEC meeting in Abuja, Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, said the council also approved payment of all outstanding financial implications of the consequential adjustments as worked out by the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission with effect from April 18.
“Council today approved for us that the financial implications worked out by the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission as consequential adjustments should take effect from April 18, 2019, the date the new national minimum wage came into being.
“The Council also approved for us that the financial implications worked out and the attendant payments should be completed on or before December 31, 2019.
“Council further directed that the Minister of Finance, Budget and National Planning through the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation should effect all these payments as scheduled before December 31, 2019.
“Council further directed also that the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission and the Ministry of Labour and Employment should send the consequential adjustment (wage) table to down to the States and Local Governments as an advisory document for their information and guidance as they negotiate with their joint national public service councils in their respective states because the national minimum wage is a national law,’’ he said.
Also speaking, Minister of Aviation, Mr Hadi Sirika, said the council also approved N1.7 billion for the procurement and installation of communications equipment for control towers at aviation training school in Zaria and Katsina airport.
“We presented a memorandum for the award of contract for the procurement and installation of communications equipment and absolute control contour for control towers in Zaria and Katsina.
“The total contract sum is N1,71460,196.10 including Value Added Tax (VAT). The completion period is for eight months.
“This is to address critical safety issues in such a way that there will be better communication and efficiency in the control towers in Zaria and Katsina and this is ongoing similar to what we have done in other airports,” he said.
