FREEPRESS – Federal Government, yesterday, released names of its members of the technical committee to work with organised labour on the agreement it reached with the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC, and Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, on palliatives, following the hike of pump price of petrol to N145 per litre.
While the government has seven representatives, NLC and TUC would present seven other members. The committee will be inaugurated on Monday, May 23, 2016.
A statement by Samuel Olowookere, Deputy Director (Press), on behalf of the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Senator Chris Ngige, said, “following due deliberation on the issue, the government resolved with the Federation of Trade Unions as follows That the government will expedite action on the composition of the minimum wage review committee and the committee is expected to complete its assignment and submit its report within six months of its constitution. Accordingly a technical committee will be set up to develop frame work for the working of the tripartite committee on minimum wage review.
This technical committee will be constituted to also consider suggestion and contributions from relevant parties on the component of the half trillion naira (N500 billion) provided in the 2016 annual budget as palliatives’ measures to cushion the negative fall-out of the deregulation of the down-stream sector of the oil and gas industry. That the technical committee will complete its assignment and revert to the committee of the whole within two weeks That the PPPRA Board will be statutorily reconstituted within two weeks to ensure effective and proper pricing and distribution the petroleum which is their main function.
The communiqué noted that the 15 man technical committee is constituted with the following membership (a) Federation of Trade Union side, seven members. TUC and Ayuba- led NLC, five members, and Ajaero led NLC, two members. (b.) Composition of the Federal Government representation is as follows: Minister of Labour and Employment (Chairman), Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (member), Minister of Budget and Planning (member), Minister of Finance (member), Minister of Solid Minerals (member) and Chairman National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission (member).
Other members are Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation and Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
The statement added that “based on the above efforts by all concerned parties, all industrial actions by members of the NLC and TUC shall be stayed in order to provide a conducive industrial relations atmosphere for the effective and efficient implementation of the Federal Government’s policies to realise the targeted goals and objectives.
Meanwhile the affected trade unions have been requested to submit all their nominees before close of work, tomorrow (today) Friday 20th of May, 2016 to enable their inauguration on Monday 23rd May, 2016.”
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