By Sunny Anderson Osiebe
Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has advised the Federal
Government to immediately constitute a panel consisting of stakeholders
to work on demands of Nigerian workers for increased wages and arrears
of pension, promotion and allowances.
Saraki while speaking with newsmen at the Eagles Square, Abuja, venue of
the 2017 May Day celebration, said if the workers had allowed the
Minister of Labour and Productivity, Dr. Chris Ngige, to address them,
he would have announced some plans that the government had for the
workers.
He said the Government needs to quickly move to address all the issues
that the workers are angry about and expressed the readiness of the
National Assembly to play its part in ensuring that the workers get
their dues.
"Government must set up a high-powered committee representing all
stakeholders who have the ability to engender confidence across board.
They must be given clear terms of reference and realistic time to
conclude their work and make recommendations.
"We in the National Assembly are ready to play our part to ensure the
appropriation of necessary funds and enactment of appropriate laws to
back up the resultant policies", he said.
He said the government appreciated the patience, understanding and
co-operation that the workers had extended to the Administration since
its inception, particularly at this period of economic challenge and
that their positive attitude will not be taken for granted.
He added that the National Assembly members had on their own increased
the proposed provision in the 2017 budget being worked on to take care
of pension of retired workers.
He also said the legislature could easily at the last stage of the
budget process include provisions to take care of the financial
implication of redressing arrears of promotion and allowances.
He added that the National Assembly would at all times be responsive and
responsible to the yearnings of the workers and that they would always
show understanding for the plight of workers.
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