Chris Ngige Rejects Bill Seeking To Remove Minimum Wage From Exclusive List

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige has thrown his weight behind the Nigeria Labour Congress NLC for opposing the controversial private member bill which sought to move minimum wage from an Exclusive list to concurrent legislative list of the 1999 constitution. The bill sponsored by Hon. Garba Datti Mohammed representing Sabon Gari Federal Constituency in Kaduna State.

Chris Ngige while speaking on NTA international, Good Morning Nigeria monitored by Signature TV on Monday said all over the world, the minimum wage bill is on the Exclusive list and not on the concurrent list. while also stating that the bill is a Public bill and not a private bill.

Public Bills deal with matters affecting the public generally and are usually introduced by a Government minister while a Private Members’ Bill deals with matters affecting the public generally but is introduced by a Member of Parliament who is not a minister.

While rearticulating the stance of the NLC, the Deputy General Secretary of the NLC, Ismail Bello also commended the Minister of Labour Chris Ngige for standing with the union at a time like this.

The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, across the nation took to the streets on Wednesday in protest of the planned removal of minimum wage from the Exclusive Legislative List which according to it is tantamount to declaring war on Nigerian workers.

The Ebonyi state chairman of the workers, Mr. Ikechukwu Nwafor, in Abakaliki during a press conference organised in line with the directive of the national leadership of NLC urged the National Assembly to jettison the move and described the bill as unhealthy for the well-being of workers.

In Abia, the State NLC chairman, Comrade Eze Idima, during a peaceful protest against moving of the bill to concurrent list said the economy will suffer as some states might find it difficult to pay the living wage which will result in unproductive and the economy will suffer in return.

It is a different ball game in Rivers state as the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) says it has no minimum wage issue in Rivers State. NLC Chairperson, of the state, Beatrice Itubor made the declaration as organised labour matched the streets of Port Harcourt in response to the nationwide labour protest against the National Assembly bill aiming to remove minimum wage from the exclusive to concurrent list of the Nigerian Constitution.