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Senate to fast-track passage of new Minimum Wage Bill
The Senate on Friday, October 6, said it would give the proposed new minimum wage bill from the Executive arm of government expeditious consideration towards ensuring improved welfare for Nigerian workers and industrial harmony in the country.
The Chairman Senate Committee on Employment, Labour, and Productivity, Senator Diket Plang (APC – Plateau Central), disclosed this in a statement in Abuja.
Senator Plang assured Nigerians that the 10th Senate and by extension, the 10th National Assembly, is committed to improving the living conditions of workers in the country and tackling poverty.
He said: “Efforts of the Federal Government and the Organized Labour for agreeing to set in motion necessary machinery to review the current Minimum Wage in Nigeria as contained in the memorandum of understanding signed by the negotiating parties are commendable.
“The Senate Committee on Employment, Labour and Productivity under my chairmanship, is prepared to give expeditious attention to the passage of a new Act, once negotiation on the matter is concluded and such bill transmitted to the National Assembly for enactment.”
He commended the Federal Government on the proactive actions taken to avert a nationwide strike last week Tuesday but warned parties involved, not to renege on agreements reached.
He said: “Nigerians and particularly members of this committee, are happy that the then looming industrial unrest, was averted following a Memorandum of Understanding entered into by the Federal Government, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), and the Trade Union Congress (TUC).
“However, all the parties involved should avoid reneging on any of the agreements reached.”
The committee, he added, is committed to the International Labour Organisation (ILO) principle of decent work and will take necessary legislative action to support efforts that will improve the working conditions of Nigerian workers including payment of living wage as enshrined in the decent work agenda.
The Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi, SAN has warned against obstructing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) from carrying out its lawful duty .
Fagbemi’s warning is contained in a statement in Abuja.
“This is a matter of very grave concern, it is now beyond doubt that the EFCC is given power by the law to invite any person of interest to interact with them in the course of their investigations into any matter, regardless of status.
“Therefore, the least that we can all do when invited, is not to put any obstruction in the way of EFCC, but to honourably answer their invitation.
“A situation where public officials who are themselves subject of protection by law enforcement agents will set up a stratagem of obstruction to the civil and commendable efforts of the EFCC to perform its duty is to say the least, insufferably disquieting’’.
He added that running away from the law will not resolve issues at stake but only exacerbate them.
“Nigeria has a vibrant judicial system that is capable of protecting everyone who follows the rule of law in seeking protection.
“I therefore encourage anyone who has been invited by the EFCC or any other agency to immediately toe the path of decency and civility by honouring such invitation instead of embarking on a temporising self-help and escapism.
“This can only put our country in bad light before the rest of the world’’.
He said institutions of state should be allowed to function effectively and efficiently.
“I stand for the rule of law and will promptly call EFCC, and indeed any other agency to order when there is an indication of any transgressions of the fundamental rights of any Nigerian by any of the agencies’’.
NAN reports that the EFCC had on Wednesday warned members of the public that it was a criminal offence to obstruct officers of the Commission from carrying out their lawful duties.
Section 38(2)(a(b) of the EFCC Establishment Act makes it an offence to prevent officers of the Commission from carrying out their lawful duties. Culprits risk a jail term of not less than five years.
The warning , the EFCC said, became necessary against the background of the increasing tendency by persons and groups under investigation by the Commission to take the laws into their hands by recruiting thugs to obstruct lawful operations of the EFCC.
On several occasions, the anti graft agency said, operatives of the Commission have had to exercise utmost restraint in the face of such provocation to avoid a breakdown of law and order.
Some unknown gunmen have kidnapped Joshua Rogers, the ChannelsTV reporter in Port-Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
Politics Nigeria learnt that Rogers was picked up close to his residence at Rumuosi in Port Harcourt and to an unknown destination by the gunmen around 9pm on Thursday, April 11.
The reporter was driving his official ChannelsTV branded car when the hoodlums accosted, pointed a gun at him and took him away in the same vehicle.
Rogers was said to be returning from his official assignment in Government House after a trip to Andoni for a government event when the incident happened.
Already, the gunmen were said to have contacted his wife and demanded a N30million ransom for bis release.
His cameraman confirmed the incident and appealed to his abductors to set him free unconditionally.
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