There are indications that Federal Government has met the organised labour to request for proceedings of the engagements.
TheSecretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, who summoned the meeting sought to know all the details including the negotiations and not necessarily to compel the tripartite committee to reconvene.
The organised labour and organised private sector have continued to insist that negotiations have ended and that they are not ready to revisit the figure reached even as government insisted that N30,000 figure is not yet a done deal.
This comes as the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) has reminded the Federal Government of the provisions of sections 173 (3) and 210 (3) of the 1999 Constitution that specified that both the minimum wage and minimum pension shall be the same figure.
Speaking in Abuja Tuesday, the National President of NUP, Dr Abel Afolayan also hinted that plans are underway to picket the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) over the unpaid balance of the 12 months arrears of the 33% pension increase of 2010.
He explained that the last pension review was in July 2010 within the framework of five years, which has been due for review since 2015, saying, “in other words, whatever amount is approved as minimum wage for workers should also apply as minimum pension for pensioners. We believe that whatever is good for the Goose is also good for the Gander, as both workers and pensioners go to the same market for their daily needs.”
Afolayan submitted that is a sheer wickedness and inhuman for any government official to argue against upward review of workers’ pay considering the economic realities in the country.
The NUP President said state governments are expected to key into the figure agreed with the Federal Government dismissing the inability to pay by some state governments in accordance with section 210 (3) of the 1999 Federal Constitution (as amended) and section 173 (3) and 210 (3).
The union issued a 21-day ultimatum to the Federal Government PTAD over the non-payment of the 33% of pension arrears of 2010.
“Consequently, and having been pushed to the wall, we are compelled to issue a 21-day ultimatum to PTAD in compliance with the extant labour laws after which if no payment is made, pensioners would embark on a protest to picket PTAD and other relevant offices connected with this payment. I do hope that immediate action would be taken to effect the payment in order to make such a course of action unnecessary, and as a mark of respect for us the elderly and senior citizens of this country,” he stated.
