The federal government has said it is fully committed to providing a decent work environment for the Nigerian workers to enhance their productivity.
Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Nigeria made this declaration on Thursday in Abuja at the opening of a one-day sensitisation workshop for field officers monitoring the implementation of the National Minimum Wage Act 2019.
The event organised by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, attracted participants from different collaborating agencies including the budget office, National Bureau of Statistics, Ministry of Finance among others.
Dr. Ngige who was represented at the event by his special assistant, Mrs. Clara Dike, said decent work remains a key to the government’s quest for a national minimum wage.
According to him, ” The federal government fully aligns itself with the sustainable development goals (SDGs), particularly goals 8 and 10 which are central to a decent work environment.
“These two goals respectively address sustained inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.”
The Minister said ensuring compliance with the National Minimum Wage Act 2019 is a sure way to ensure that workers are not short-changed and that productivity is not endangered.
He charged the field officers to discharge their assignment with diligence as the outcome of their work will impact millions of Nigerian workers.
Earlier in his opening remarks, the Chairman National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, Mr. Ekpo Nta who was represented by a federal commissioner in NSIWC, Dr. (Mrs.) Mojisola Yaya Kolade said, the monitoring exercise was actually something that would have been done earlier than now but for funds constraints. He charged the field officers to take advantage of the workshop to learn what to look out for when the exercise begins.
He also called on Ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) to cooperate with the monitors to enable them do a good job.
Goodwill messages were received from the National President, Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA), the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) as well as the Budget Office.
The monitoring exercise which will begin in January 2023, will last for eight days.