President Muhammadu Buhari Orders Immediate Payment Of New Minimum Wage
President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered the immediate implementation of the National Minimum of Wage of N30,000 monthly to all federal civil servants earning less than N30,000 monthly.
The Executive Chairman, National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, (NSIWC), Dr. Richard Onwuka Egbule, disclosed this at a press briefing in Abuja on Monday, saying based on the approval from the president, the implementation takes effect from the 18h April, 2019.
Dr. Egbule explained that the civil servants affected are only those who earn less than N30,000 monthly adding that with the implementation of the minimum wage, no Federal Govt. staff will earn less than N30,000 per month.
According to him, the salaries structures affected include; the consolidated public service salary structure (CONPSS); consolidated health salary structure (CONHESS); consolidated research and allied institutions salary structure (CONRAISS); consolidated tertiary institutions salary structure (CONTISS II) and consolidated tertiary educational institutions salary structure (CONTEDNESS).
Dr. Egbule however noted:
“The negotiations between the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council on the consequential adjustments arising from the new national minimum wage for officers who earned salaries above N30,000 per month before 18th April, 2019 in the federal civil service will continue.”
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He assured that the “outcome of such negotiations will be implemented with the effect from the date an agreement is reached.”
He also said all arrears arising from the implementation of the N30,000 minimum wage will be worked out by all concerned agencies in partnership with the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation. He also said those who earn N30,000 and above now will still get their salaries adjusted after the negotiations with the unions. He said:
“The law says you cannot pay anyone less than N30,000. So to comply with law, all those earning less than N30,000 as at 18th April 2019 must have their salaries adjusted.”
He also said money for the implementation has been captured in the 2019 budget thus implementation will be seamless.