By Jacob Okoye
A National Minimum Wage births through processes from Tripartite Committee negotiations to passing into law and endorsement by the president of the country. This has never been a problem in Nigeria hence, the federal government has always led by example in the implementation for its workers.
This is also referred to as
"full implementation" which proves that nothing and no worker is left
out in its course. It is worthy of mention that states like Lagos and Edo among
others, have maintained an unwaivering standard in implementing national
minimum wages and it's consequential adjustments to workers in the Civil
Service.
However, cruelty greets South
East especially Anambra state, where the
implementation of National Minimum Wages
are partially adhered to. Rather than implement the Minimum Wage across
the various levels by Consequential Adjustment so, it tend to focus only at the
lowest worker and/or selected workers. Arguments never heard of in history
began to make ways at tables of discussion, with the sole intent of continuing
cheap labour and further impoverishment of workers which the minimum wage seeks
to eradicate.
As far as the Civil Service is
concerned, the national minimum wage affects not just the least worker but the
entire workforce in its hierarchy commonly referred to as the consequential
adjustments, otherwise remuneration at the lowest level would be higher or
insignificant when compared to seniors.
This is done strictly by
adjusting workers' basic salaries accordingly. Other allowances that make up a
worker's take home pay are not considered in minimum wage negotiation,
implementation, promotions or even pension.
It is interesting to say at
this point that payment of workers salaries and implementation of minimum wage
are really not about a state's ability to pay but a state's ability to govern
or administer right.
For instance, a state that has
no recruitment policy may recruit workers more than it actually needs or could
cater for. Secondly, states with very high cost of governance are actually the
ones coming up with excuses to paying the minimum wage. It was never about
capacity to pay but administrative recklessness!
Jacob Okoye, Human Rights
Activist, Concerned Civil Servants, Anambra
Post a Comment