Labour Minister, Chris Ngige, has responded to Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki’s warning about the possibility of the federal and state governments being unable to pay salaries beyond next month. Ngige dismissed the statement as an “alarm” during a national television interview and assured workers that the federal government has the capability to meet the proposed pay rise.
The minister emphasized that payment of salaries and the proposed increases have been factored into the budget, with N350 billion allocated in the appropriation budget of 2023.
In terms of job creation, Ngige pointed out that the private sector has a significant role to play, and job creation is a cross-cutting issue. He acknowledged that if the economy is facing difficulties, there will not be enough funds available to create jobs. Ngige added that the decrease in foreign investment into the country has contributed to the high unemployment rate.
While acknowledging Nigerian workers’ right to request higher wages, Ngige stated his disapproval of equating minimum wage with dollars. He believes that most of the goods that workers consume are not bought in dollar markets. Furthermore, he emphasized that some things, such as food items and water, can only be purchased with the local currency, the naira.
During the Workers’ Day celebration, Governor Obaseki cautioned that it would take a miracle for the state and federal governments to pay salaries beyond June this year without printing more money or discontinuing fuel subsidies. However, the Labour Minister dismissed this warning and assured workers that the government is committed to ensuring they receive their salaries on time.
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