The Federal Government of Nigeria and the Labour Unions of Nigeria have reached an agreement on the implementation of the new minimum wage using Alternative Dispute Resolution- Conciliation.
As a result of the nationwide strike announced by labour unions of the country slated to begin on October 16, 2019, the Federal Government and the labour unions have been engaged in intense negotiations to find a way pass this lingering impasse and avert the strike.
Premium Times reports that the Minister for Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, disclosed news of the much-awaited agreement early Friday morning in Abuja shortly after a government team he led concluded a meeting with labour.
The meeting, which began at 8:24 pm on Thursday, ended by 3 am Friday.
The crux of the disagreement centred around the consequential adjustments in salaries that must be implemented across board in line with the new minimum wage law.
Premium Times reports the full agreement reached by both parties to the Conciliation:
MEMORANDUM OF TERMS OF SETTLEMENT REACHED AT THE END OF THE CONCILIATION MEETINGS ON CONSEQUENTIAL ADJUSTMENTS OF THE OTHER WAGES FOLLOWING THE NEW NATIONAL MINIMUM WAGE OF N30, 000 HELD AT THE INSTANCE OF THE HONOURABLE MINISTER OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT (HML&E) BETWEEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT OF NIGERIA AND ORGANISED LABOUR ON 9TH, 14TH, 15TH, 16TH ,17TH AND 18TH OCTOBER , 2019, AT THE CONFERENCE ROOM OF THE HONOURABLE MINISTER, FEDERAL MINISTRY OF LABOUR & EMPLOYMENT, ABUJA.
PRESENT
CONCILIATORS
1. SEN. (DR) CHRIS NGIGE, OON – HON. MINISTER OF LABOUR & EMPLOYMENT – CHIEF CONCILIATOR
2. FESTUS KEYAMO, SAN – HON. MINISTER OF STATE, FEDERAL MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND EMPLOYMENT – DEPUTY CONCILIATOR
JOINT NATIONAL PUBLIC SERVICE NEGOTIATING COUNCIL (JNPSNC)
GOVERNMENT SIDE
i. Dr. Folasade. Yemi- Esan – Ag. Head of the Civil Service of the Federation
ii. Mr. Ekpo Nta – Ag Chairman, National Salaries, Incomes and Wages
Commission (NSIWC)
iii. William Nwankwo Alo – Permanent Secretary, Fed. Min. of Labour & Employment
(FML&E)
iv. Sir Olusegun Adeyemi Adekunle – Permanent Secretary General Services Office (GSO)
Office of the Secretary To The Government Of The Federation
v. Mr. B.O.C. Omogo – Director Organisational Development & Design (ODD) representing Permanent Secretary of OHSCF
Service Policy & Strategy Office (SPSO)
vi. Mr. Olusanya Ajakaye – Secretary, National Assembly (NASS) Service Commission
vii. Mr, Bassey E. Bassey – Secretary Federal Judicial Service Commission (FJSC)
viii. Gideon Mitu – Director (Expenditure)- Social, Budget Office of the
Federation (BoF) representing Director General, Budget
ix. Mr. Olusegun Olufehinti, (FCA) – Director, Integrated Personnel Payroll Information System
(IPPIS) representing Accountant General of the Federation
LABOUR
x Com. Simon Anchaver
xii. Com. Lawal Alade Bashir
xiii. Com. Yahaya Y, Yashi
xiv. Com. John O, Ushie
xv. Com. T. A. Shettima
xvi. Com, Bobboi B, Kaigama
xvii. Com. Biobelemoye J. Josiah
xviii. Com. Amaechi Lawrence
IN ATTENDANCE
ORGANISED LABOUR
Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC)
i. Com. Ayuba Wabba, mni
ii. Com. Ameachi Asugwuni
iii. Com. Emma. Ugboaja
iv. Com. Ibrahim Khaleel, mni
v. Com. Marwan M, Adamu, mni
vi. Com. Issa Aremu, mni
Trade Union Congress (TUC)
i. Com. Quadri A, Olaleye
ii. Com. Musa Lawal M. Ozigi, mni
iii. Com. Musa M. Abbas
iv. Com. Nuhu Toro
3. Following the threat by Organized Labour not to guarantee industrial peace after Wednesday, October 16, 2019, as a result of the deadlock in the ongoing negotiation on the Consequential Adjustment of emoluments in Federal Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) arising from the New National Minimum Wage of Thirty Thousand Naira (N30, 000.00) as imbued in the National Minimum Wage Act, 2019, the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment in exercise of his powers under the Trade Dispute Act, CAP T8, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria (LFN) 2004, apprehended the trade dispute and called the parties to conciliation meetings. He met each of the JNPSNC separately on Wednesday, 9th October and Monday 15th October, 2019, Thereafter, joint meetings were held on 16th, 17th and 18th of October, 2019, after which the following Terms of Settlement and Agreement pertaining to the Minimum Wage Consequential Adjustments in the Public Service were reached:
THE CONSEQUENTIAL ADJUSTMENTS/INCREASE
Group 1 (CONPSS)
• GL 07 = 23.2%
• GL 08 = 20%
• GL 09 = 19%
• GL 10 – 14 = 16%
• GL 15¬- 17 = 14%
Group 2 (CONHESS, CONRAISS, CONTISS II, CONUASS II, CONMESS. CONTEDISS & CONPCASS)
• GL 7/Equivalent = 23.2%
• GL 8-14/Equivalent = 16%
• GL 15-17/Equivalent = 10.5%
JOINT NATIONAL PUBLIC SERVICE NEGOTIATING COUNCIL
GOVERNMENT SIDE
Dr, Folasade Yemi- Esan, Ag. Head of the Civil Service of the Federation
Mr, Olusegun Olufehinti, (FCA), Director IPPIS, OAGF, (Fed. Ministry of Finance, Budget & National Planning)
LABOUR SIDE
Comrade Simon Anchave, Chairman JNPSNC
Comrade Lawal A. Bashir, Secretary General JNPSNC
WITNESSES
William Nwankwo Alo, Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour & Employment
Comrade Ayuba Wabba, mni, NLC President
Sir Olusegun Adeyemi Adekunle,
Permanent Secretary, GSO
Com. Quadri A. Olaleye , TUC President
CONCILIATORS
Festus Keyamo, SAN
Hon. Minister of State of Labour& Employment
Sen. (Dr) Chris Nwabueze Ngige, OON
Honourable Minister of Labour & Employment
Dated in Abuja, today 18th Day of October, 2019
This outcome goes to show the efficacy of Mediation and Conciliation as tools for the effective administration of justice and amicable dispute resolution, and its continued use should be strongly encouraged in all industries within the public and private sector. This dispute between the Federal Government and labour unions that has lingered for several months, causing anxiety and frustration among workers in the Nigerian public sector, was resolved under seven (7) hours using non-adversarial means.
Conciliation, a term which is often used interchangeably with Mediation, is a private, confidential and non-binding Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) mechanism in which a neutral third party assists the parties in arriving at a mutually beneficial settlement.
For more information on Mediation and Conciliation, and how to become a professional Mediator and Conciliator, kindly visit the Institute of Chartered Mediators and Conciliators
