Tag: Minister of Labour and Employment

24Feb By dthataNo Comments

Politics

Igbos Held Sensitive Positions But Didn’t Use It For Igbo Welfare – Chris Ngige

Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, has said the Igbos have no reason to complain about marginalization because when people from their region were in office, they failed to use the position to better the lot of the Igbo nation. Speaking at a function in Anambra state on Monday, February 22, Ngige said the Igbos should stop blaming President Buhari for certain inadequacies in the South East. He opined that they should put the blame on their successive representatives and high profile politicians, who have occupied positions of authority such as Inspector General of Police, Secretary to the Government of the Federation and many others in the past but failed to use the positions to work for their people. “I am not saying that giving sensitive positions to Igbo under ...

Read More

22Feb By dthataNo Comments

Politics

Buhari, Governors To Discuss Fuel Pricing On Thursday

The President, Major-General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), and the state governors will discuss the issue of fuel pricing Thursday. The Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, disclosed this Sunday night after a bipartite meeting of the Federal Government and the organised labour at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, Abuja. Briefing journalists on their resolutions, Ngige said the labour had investigated the report of the Technical Committee on Premium Motor Spirit Pricing Framework as agreed at the last meeting and made their submissions alongside the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation. The minister said, “The labour side saw that they were making some points and like I said, it is work in progress. Governors are going to discuss this on Thursday. ...

Read More

3Feb By dthataNo Comments

Education

Strike: FG And University Workers’ Meeting Ends In A Deadlock

The meeting between the Federal Government and the Joint Action Committee comprising the Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Universities and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions ended in a deadlock. However, a committee was set up to resolve the dispute over the N40 billion earned allowances and complaints about the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System. This was agreed during a meeting on Tuesday between the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, SSANU National President, Mohammed Ibrahim and NASU General Secretary, Peters Adeyemi, in Abuja. Speaking to journalists after the parley, Ngige described the meeting as fruitful and expressed the hope that the dialogue would encourage the unions to suspend their stri...

Read More

28Nov By dthataNo Comments

Education

No Agreement Yet To Suspend Strike ― ASUU

THE Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU has denied a news report that it agreed to call off the ongoing strike after meeting with the Government negotiation team led by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige on Friday. The Federal Government at the meeting at the Conference Hall of the Ministry of Labour and Employment reportedly increased its offer for Earned Allowances EA to university based unions and funding for the revitalization of public universities from N65 billion to N70 billion. There was news report that ASUU has given an indication that the meeting, the strike which started since March would soon be called off after a meeting with the leadership of union and its organs. According to the report, the university teachers agreed to call off ...

Read More

28Nov By dthataNo Comments

Education

ASUU Agrees To Call Off Strike, To Receive N70bn

The Academic Staff Union of Universities has agreed to call of its eight-month strike which has grounded academic activities in the public universities. The union leadership reached the consensus during a meeting with the government team led by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, in Abuja, on Friday. The government also pledged to pay N40 billion as the Earned Allowance and N30bn for the revitalisation of the university system bringing the total payment to N70 billion. The FG further agreed to settle the arrears of salaries of the lecturers before December 31. This is happening one week after the Federal Government accepted the demand by the ASUU that they be exempted from the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System pending the approval of t...

Read More

24Nov By dthataNo Comments

Education

Strike: Why ASUU Should Accept FG’s Offer — Ngige

Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, has expressed optimism that members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities will accept the new offer by the Federal Government and end the eight-month strike which began in March. He urged ASUU to hasten consultations with its members in order to return to the negotiation table before Friday. “I feel that even this offer is one of the best they have ever gotten since I started conciliation with them. I do not see why they should not accept it. Everything they asked for has been granted. I don’t think they should say the offer is not good. “But I told them before they left that asking the nation and the students to wait from Friday to Friday is unfair, they should come back to us by Tuesday. They have done that before when we...

Read More

23Nov By dthataNo Comments

Politics

I Have Three Children In Public Universities – Ngige

Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, has restated the commitment of Federal Government to end the eight-month strike embarked on by members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities. He described as untrue, comments that government officials have been foot-draggers in the ongoing negotiations with the university lecturers because their children school abroad. Ngige said, “I have three biological children in public schools. They are in public schools; they are not in private universities. Unlike ASUU members who have most of their children in private universities, three of mine are here. So, I am a very big stakeholder in the public tertiary school system.” The minister, who spoke on an Arise TV interview monitored by The PUNCH, added, “So, when ASUU says politicia...

Read More

18Nov By dthataNo Comments

Politics

ASUU Strike – FG Will Continue To Pay ASUU Through IPPIS, UTAS Doesn’t Have Hardware Backing – Ngige

THE Federal Government has said that for the University Transparency and Accountability Solution, UTAS, to be used as an alternative platform to the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System, IPPIS, there must be a hardware backing the system. The Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, had opposed the introduction of IPPIS as the payment platform, claiming that it did not take care of their peculiarities and had came up with UTAS. But the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige has said that even if the UTAS passed the integrity test, it required the hardware to protect it against hacking and other challenges that could affect its efficiency. Speaking to State House correspondents after meeting behind closed doors with President Muhammadu Buhari a...

Read More

14Nov By dthataNo Comments

Politics

Strike: We Will Explore Other Options If ASUU Remains Adamant – Ngige

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, has expressed optimism that the prolonged strike action embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities will be resolved by next week when the Federal Government team meets the union leaders again. He, however, said if the matter was not resolved by then, he would explore the provisions in the labour law and other channels. Government had previously appealed to the union to call off the strike. The union had on March 24 2020 embarked on an indefinite strike over the failure of the Federal Government to keep to the 2019 Memorandum of Action between them as well as the lingering disagreement over the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System that ASUU rejected. Speaking on Politics Today on Channels Telev...

Read More

12Nov By dthataNo Comments

Politics

We’re Addressing ASUU Strike Holistically – Ngige To Senators

MINISTER of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige on Wednesday said the Federal Government was addressing the strike by the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, holistically to ensure that all other unions in the university system were carried along. The Minister said this while defending the budget of his Ministry before the Senate Committee on Labour and Employment. Reacting to the concerns expressed by the senators on the prolonged ASUU strike, Senator Ngige told the committee that the Federal Government has met most of the demands of the union. According to him, “Out of the eight demands of ASUU, the government has solved five. We have made N50 billion available. A total sum of N20 billion for the revitalisation of the universities and N30 billion for Earned ...

Read More

5Nov By dthataNo Comments

Education

Strike: FG, ASUU Meeting Ends In Deadlock Again

THE meeting between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, over the poor funding of Universities and the controversy surrounding the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System, IPPIS, payment platform, yesterday ended without any resolution. This is as the Federal Government at the meeting which held at the Conference Hall of the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Abuja, said it cannot afford the N110 billion demanded by the ASUU for funding of revitalisation of universities. Speaking at the end of the meeting, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige told journalists that the government cannot meet the demand of ASUU of revitalisation because of the damaging effects of COVID-19 on the economy. Senator Ngige disclo...

Read More

29Oct By dthataNo Comments

Politics

Again, FG, ASUU Unable To Agree On Payment Platform

For the second time in one week, the meeting between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities deadlocked on Wednesday  as they failed to agree on the payment platform to be used in disbursing the salary arrears and the N30bn Earned Allowance of the university lecturers. The FG team led by the Minister of Labour and Employment,  Chris Ngige,  had offered to pay the salary arrears and the N30bn Earned Allowances of the university lecturers through the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System platform pending the roll-out of ASUU’s preferred platform, the University Transparency and Accountability Solution. But the ASUU delegation led by its National President, Prof Biodun Ogunyemi, insisted that the payment should be made through the UTAS. Seq...

Read More

23Oct By dthataNo Comments

Education

Strike: FG, ASUU Disagree On Payment Platform

The meeting between the Federal Government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities deadlocked again on Wednesday, following the disagreement over the payment platform that would be used in disbursing the salary arrears and the N 30 billion Earned Allowance of the university lecturers . The FG team led by the Minister of Labour and Employment , Chris Ngige , had offered to pay the salary arrears and the N 30 billion Earned Allowances of the university lecturers through the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System platform pending the roll - out of ASUU ’ s preferred platform , the University Transparency and Accountability Solution . But the ASUU delegation led by its National President , Prof Biodun Ogunyemi, reportedly insisted that the university lect would not ...

Read More

16Oct By dthataNo Comments

Education

We Are Ready To Resume – ASUU

The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), on Thursday, gave an indication that the union will suspend its prolonged strike very soon, as its President, Prof Biodun Ogunyemi, declared that the varsity lecturers are ready to go back to school. The ASUU President gave the hint even as the Federal Government, through the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, assured it would meet the union demands within time frame it stipulated. Prof Ogunyemi, who was speaking at a meeting between the Federal Government, led by the Labour Minister and ASUU leadership, led by the President, said their members are willing to resume because it is a matter of national interest. He points out that their members also have their children at home, like all other parents who have thei...

Read More

16Oct By dthataNo Comments

Politics

ASUU Strike: Students Recruited For #EndSARS Protests — Ngige

The Federal Government has lamented that university students who should be in the classrooms have been “recruited” to join the ongoing #EndSARS protests. It blamed the development on the industrial action embarked upon by the Academic Staff Union of Universities. The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, said this at a reconciliation meeting between the government and ASUU officials on Thursday in Abuja. According to the News Agency of Nigeria, Ngige said, “For the past one week, we have all been on our toes, we have been meeting and we pray that this meeting will yield good fruits. “We don’t take pleasure to the fact that the children who are supposed to be in school are being recruited into the #EndSARS, #EndStrike, #EndSWAT campaigns. “As much as possible, ...

Read More

16Oct By dthataNo Comments

Education

ASUU & FG Meeting Inconclusive, Adjourned

While Mr Ngige led the federal government's team, the President of ASUU, Biodun Ogunyemi, led the representatives of the lecturers team. Thursday’s conciliatory meeting aimed at putting an end to the strike action embarked upon by university lecturers has been adjourned to October 21. The industrial action, which started over six months ago, is a major reason why universities are yet to resume after the easing of the COVID-19 lockdown. The Thursday meeting was convened as a follow up to the previous meeting held with the Senate leadership on Tuesday, where the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, committed to engaging Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) and other stakeholders to iron out the outstanding issues. While Mr Ngige led the federal government’s...

Read More

17Sep By dthataNo Comments

Politics

Petrol Price Should Be N181 Per Litre – Timipre Sylva

The Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), popularly called petrol should be sold for N181 per litre, if all costs implications are considered and factored in rather than the present pump price of N161; the Federal Government disclosed on Tuesday. The Minister of State for Petroleum, Timipre Sylva, made this known even as he pointed out that Nigeria lost a total N10.413 trillion to subsidy between 2006 and 2019, while between the year 2016 and 2019, the Federal Government lost a total sum of N2.193 trillion on subsidy. Silver was speaking at the bipartite meeting between the Federal Government and the Organised labour, held at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, in Abuja. The Federal Government was led by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige with five other minister...

Read More

16Sep By dthataNo Comments

Politics

FG, Labour’s Eight-Hour Meeting Ends In Deadlock

An eight-hour meeting involving the Federal Government, the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress ended in a deadlock on Tuesday, following the inability of the parties to reach a consensus. While the organised labour was demanding the reversal of the hikes in the price of petrol and electricity tariffs, the Federal Government pleaded for understanding, saying it could not sustain the fuel subsidy. Although the government team made presentations on its policies, it didn’t specify how the effects of the hikes in electricity and petroleum products would be alleviated. Also on Tuesday, the TUC has said the indefinite strike and nationwide protest billed to commence from Wednesday, September 23, would hold as planned. The congress had issued a seven-day ultimatum...

Read More

20Jun By dthataNo Comments

Health

FG Releases ₦4.5 Billion To 31 Teaching Hospitals, 9 Billion For Life Insurance

Indications emerged Friday that the Federal Government has released the sum of N4.5 billion to 31 Federal Teaching Hospitals and Medical Centres across the country to cover hazard and inducement allowances for the month of April and May. The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, made this disclosure while briefing State House Correspondents, in company of the Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire and the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo, after they briefed President Muhammadu Buhari, on the strike by the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD). Ngige expressed optimism that the strike action embarked upon by the Resident Doctors will end soon. The strike which commenced on Monday this week followed instructions by the NARD to its member...

Read More

18Jun By dthataNo Comments

News

NARD Nationwide Strike: FG Threatens Actions Against NARD

The Federal government has threatened to take action against any resident doctor on its payroll who fails to resume work today, June 17. Recall that NARD had embarked on a nationwide strike on Monday due to the Federal Government’s failure to meet demands made by the association. A negotiation meeting convened by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige with the Minister of Health, Osagie Ehanire, and the leadership of the Resident doctors, ended in a deadlock on Tuesday after many hours of deliberation. Ngige, during the meeting, stated that health workers are the essential frontline officers during the coronavirus pandemic and have suffered great mishaps across the country. According to him, the major issues have been taken care of, while other minor issues will...

Read More

25May By dthataNo Comments

Politics

FG To Review Salaries, Wages Of Ministries, Agencies And Parastatals – Ngige

President Muhammadu Buhari has mandated the presidential committee on salaries and wages to review and realign earnings of employees of ministries, agencies, and parastatals. Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, who disclosed this in an interview with THISDAY at the weekend, said part of the objective is to check disparity in payment of salaries and wages as well as prone the running cost of governance. He also said the motive of putting together the committee was to address the rising cost of personnel in the budget of the federation. “The president set up a committee called the presidential committee on salaries and wages last year of which I am a co-chair, it is being chaired by the Minister of Finance and Planning with the Head of Service as a member for...

Read More

25May By dthataNo Comments

Politics

For Now, I Don’t Have Interest In Anambra State Governorship – Ngige

Dr Chris Ngige, The Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment, has said he is too busy serving the nation at the national level to consider a shot at the 2021 Anambra State governorship election. Ngige who spoke to reporters in his country home in Alor, in Idemili Local Government Area, of the state on Sunday said although he had the right to contest, he was too busy with his national assignment as a minister to start eyeing “a provincial job.” He spoke after presenting cash and food items, totaling N15m as COVID-19 palliatives to some vulnerable persons in the area. Ngige said, “Whether you’re a member of APC or PDP, APGA, Accord, APA, PPP, once you are vulnerable, you get. We started with my town. We will fan out to my local government, then to my entire senatorial district. ...

Read More

21Apr By dthataNo Comments

Politics

IPPIS: Buhari Approves Payment Of February, March Salaries Of Varsity Lecturers

PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari has approved immediate payments of the two months withheld salaries of University lecturers that refused to enroll in the Integrated Payroll and Personnel Information System, IPPIS. The President’s approval came after he had a meeting with the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige yesterday in Abuja. The Federal Government and the leadership of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, have been on loggerheads over the refusal of the university teachers to join in the IPPIS payment platform. Even the other three university-based unions, the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities, SSANU, National Association of Academic Technologists, NAAT, and the Non-Academic Union of Universities, NASU that had enrolled in the IPPI...

Read More

19Feb By dthataNo Comments

News

Immigrant Visa Ban Will Be Reviewed If Certain Conditions Are Met – US Ambassador, Mary Beth Leonard

The United States of America ambassador to Nigeria, Mary Beth Leonard has stated that the immigrant visa ban against Nigerians which has ignited lots of controversies in the last few weeks, will be reviewed if certain conditions are met. Speaking during a courtesy visit to the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige in Abuja on Tuesday February 18, Leonard said that the US wants Nigeria to sort out problems with information sharing. She said; “I need to clarify something for you here. The immigrant visa ban does not affect people who are currently resident in the United States. It does not cancel the status of anyone who currently lives in the United States. “What Secretary Pompey said was that it was meant to be temporary. And it is about problems with information s...

Read More

11Feb By dthataNo Comments

Politics

Don’t Depend On Govt For Jobs – Ngige Advises Graduates

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, on Monday, February 10, 2020, has enjoyed unemployed Nigerian graduates to invest whatever they have at hand and their precious time rather than looking for white collar job The Minister who spoke through his spokesman on Monday at a town hall meeting in Benin City, Edo state capital said youth should forget looking for white collar job Ngige spoke further that the government of Nigeria can not provide job for all the graduates on the street as many of them need to be creative in whatever they know how to do best. The Minister while addressing the gathering said, youths across the wold are creative and that is while most of the western world are improving as their youth rely solely on the creative job, He advises Nigerian yo...

Read More

24Jan By dthataNo Comments

Politics

We Don’t Need APC For Presidency In 2023, Igbo Group Tells Ngige

A socio-political pressure group known as Ndi-Igbo United Forum (NUF) has faulted Minister of Labour and Employment Senator Chris Ngige’s position that the Igbo could only show readiness for the nation’s presidency if they joined the All Progressives Congress (APC). The President General of NUF, Chief Godson Ezenagu, in a statement made available to Daily Trust in Awka, Anambra State capital, described Ngige’s assertion as untrue. He said the Igbo do not need to join APC to produce the president of the country, rather total mobilisation of people across zones. “All political parties should zone their presidential tickets to the South East in the principle of equity, natural justice and good conscience. Zoning to the zone will kill every agitation in the South East,” he said. ...

Read More

20Jan By dthataNo Comments

Politics

I’ve Been Approached To Return As Anambra Gov, — Ngige

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, tells TONY OKAFOR that the Igbo should produce the president of the country in 2023 based on principle of justice and equity. He also says he has been approached to return to the Government House in Anambra State as the governor What stage is the 2nd Niger Bridge now? Work is ongoing on the  2nd Niger Bridge. The contractor gave an undertaking to deliver the project before 2022 which is the appointed date, I believe him because they’re working day and night. Apart from the little hiccups occasioned by demands for compensation, they’re on schedule. The job is about 45 per cent complete and the fund for the construction is available. That is the good news for the people of the South-East. The cost of the bridge from the exi...

Read More

25Nov By dthataNo Comments

Lifestyle

Festus Keyamo’s Sister, Miriam Weds Harrysong’s Manager, Desmond Ike

Miriam Keyamo, Minister of Labour and Employment Festus Keyamo's younger sister walked down the aisle with her heartthrob Demond Ike on Saturday November 23. The couple tied the nuptial knots at Decorium Event Centre in Oregun, Lagos after 10 months of dating. “When we met at Festus Keyamo Chambers where I work, little did I know we were going to date; how much more marry. Everything happened like a joke and so fast,” the bride said.

Read More

17Oct By dthataNo Comments

Politics

FG To Review Wages, Allowances For Governors, Others

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, has said there are plans to review the wages of all political office holders in the country. “The last holistic wage review took place in 2011 and a new one is being planned,” Ngige told members of Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) during a visit to his office in Abuja on Tuesday. “What is a governor doing with hazard allowance? What hazard when the state is feeding him and his family? What is a governor doing with constituency allowance? The whole state is his constituency. “These are what will be holistically reviewed.” Ngige said there was a need to review and streamline the wages and allowances given to political service holders, and the high wages earned by workers in certain government organisation...

Read More

16Oct By dthataNo Comments

Politics

Minimum Wage: Labour Suspends Planned Strike As Talks Continue Today

Organised labour on Tuesday demanded documents from the Federal Government to support its claims during a negotiation on the consequential adjustments on the New National Minimum Wage. Labour suspended its planned strike as both sides agreed to continue negotiations today (Wednesday). The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, at the opening of the meeting, said the demand of the workers before the negotiation would shut down the economy. But a source at the five hours meeting, which started at 2.45pm, confided in our correspondent that the labour leaders and the government’s representatives made concessions. He added that they failed to reach a definite agreement on the salary adjustments. Before the meeting, labour was demanding 29 per cent salary increase for off...

Read More

15Oct By dthataNo Comments

Politics

Over 15m Nigerians Searching For Job, FG Confesses

The Federal Government has expressed serious concerns over the rising unemployment rate in the country, saying that over 15 million Nigerians are looking for white collar jobs. Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, who expressed this concern in an interview with some journalists in Enugu on Monday, said government was worried by the increasing rate of unemployment in the country. “Unemployment is growing into a very vicious disease condition that has given rise to a lot of anti-social behaviour. And government is seriously worried because if we don’t confront unemployment head on with many measures which we are fashioning now, then the whole country will be consumed with social unrest. “The symptoms are there. Boko Haram is a symptom of unemployment in Nigeria. IPOB ...

Read More

11Oct By dthataNo Comments

Politics

Minimum Wage Not General Salary Review, FG Tells Labour

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, said the Federal Government (FG) had yet to commence total implementation of the new minimum wage of N30,000 to all categories of workers because organised labour mistakenly saw consequential adjustment in salary as total salary review. Ngige spoke on Thursday when the Director General of the Nigeria Employers Consultative Association, Timothy Olawale, led a delegation from the association to the minister’s office in Abuja. Also at the event was the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo (SAN). This is coming a few days before negotiation begins again between the FG and organised labour after labour issued a notice that strike could be imminent if the FG failed to accept its demands on consequential adjust...

Read More

7Oct By dthataNo Comments

Politics

FG Yet To Reconstitute Minimum Wage Team

Despite the threat by the organised labour that it could not guarantee industrial peace if the Federal Government failed to meet its demand on the implementation of the new minimum wage by the close of work on October 16, 2019, the FG has yet to constitute a team to negotiate with the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council. The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, had on September 28, during a visit by labour leaders in Abuja said a new government team would replace the old one headed by the former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Winifred Oyo-Ita. During the visit to the minister in Abuja, Ngige said he and other ministers in the former negotiating committee were unable to be part of the first phase of the negotiation because the cabinet ...

Read More

23Sep By dthataNo Comments

Politics

Focus On Your Duty, Stop The Mischief – Peter Obi To Ngige

Vice-Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2019 elections, Peter Obi, has advised the minister of labour and employment, Chris Ngige, to focus his energy on making Nigeria work, rather than engaging in mischief. Mr Obi spoke through his media adviser, Valentine Obienyem, in a statement on Sunday. Mr Obienyem was reacting to statements made by Ngige that he was ashamed of the quality of roads constructed by his successors in Anambra, including Obi. “What is most condemnable in Ngige’s attacks are the lies he tells just to bring Obi down,” Obienyem said. “How could he mention roads such as Abatete-Nteje-Aguleri-Otuocha road and Igboukwu-Ezenifite-Umunze, Iseeke roads and deliberately forgot that Obi did greater portions of those roads?” Obieny...

Read More

18Sep By dthataNo Comments

Politics

IPOB Can’t Attack Me Outside Nigeria – Ngige

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, has said members of the Indigenous People of Biafra cannot attack him outside Nigeria. He stated this in Obosi, Anambra State against the background of reports that IPOB members had threatened to attack politicians of the South-East geopolitical zone if they were sighted anywhere outside the country. He said the secessionists would have a moral burden to attack him because he protected them and their interests when he was the governor of Anambra State. He added that IPOB was not set up to be a violent group. Ngige said, “IPOB was registered by the late President General of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Dr Dozie Ikedife and other Igbo as a non-violent group. What is going on now in the group is not part of the work plan . I visited...

Read More

27Aug By dthataNo Comments

Politics

Payment Of New Minimum Wage Commences September – Labour Chief

The Chairman of the Ekiti State Chapter of the NLC, Mr Kolapo Olatunde, announced on Monday that the Federal Government would commence payment of the long-awaited new wage from next month. Olatunde made the disclosure in an interview with the Labour Correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ado-Ekiti on Monday. “I speak to you as the right source that nothing will stop the implementation of the N30, 000 minimum wage next month. “Government will pay the new minimum wage in the first week of September. “After the National Executive Council meeting of the NLC in Kano, we have streamlined everything that can cause any further delay of the payment. “Now, we are waiting for the outcome,’’ Olatunde stated. He said that the issue of consequential adjustment raised ...

Read More

24Aug By dthataNo Comments

Politics

Ngige Threatens To Sanction Banks Over Indiscriminate Sack Of Workers

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, has threatened to sanction banks, who sack workers indiscriminately, saying they ought to declare redundancy before taking such decisions. Mr Ngige, who resumed duty on Thursday alongside the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Tayo Alasoadura, said it was worrisome that workers were sacked without recourse to due process of disengagement. According to him, the ministry has introduced time frame of running agreements that have been reached with trade unions in order to make an insurable industrial climate. “We also have to monitor job loses, we also have to stem the tide of job losses through a proactive action from this ministry. “We were all here, when the bank started, we had to stop them because we looked into...

Read More

13May By dthataNo Comments

Politics

Probe Ngige Now, Labour Tells Buhari, Begins Protest Today

The organised labour yesterday called on President Muhammadu Buhari to probe the involvement of Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, in the affairs of the Nigeria Social Investment Trust Fund (NSITF).The demand came as the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) begins a protest in Abuja against the minister today. NLC President Ayuba Wabba, however, told The Guardian last night that the protest would not be against the inauguration of the NSITF board, but the manner in which Ngige superintended the affairs of the labour sector in the past three years and the recent attacks on protesters at the minister’s residence. Labour members protesting against alleged refusal by Ngige to inaugurate the board of the NSITF had picketed the minister’s premises last week. The action ended ...

Read More

10May By dthataNo Comments

Politics

My Neighbour And I Are Considering Suing NLC For Blocking My House – Ngige

Chris Ngige, whose house was blocked by members of the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, during a protest, has disclosed that he is considering suing the organized labour group with his neighbour.Speaking with State House correspondents on Thursday, May 9, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, the minister said that blocking his house was an infringement on his fundamental human rights and that of his household, as they were all traumatized. Ngige who denied an alleged attack on NLC members at his house, further revealed that they arrived at his resident at 4:30 am in the morning. He further said that when security operatives accosted them, they discovered that it was the president of the NLC himself that came physically with two tankers, one laden with petrol and one half-full. The minist...

Read More

9May By dthataNo Comments

News

NLC Threatens Nation’s Shutdown After Bloody Protest

Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has threatened to bring the country to a halt in the heat of the face-off between the workers’ union and the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige over the latter’s refusal to assent to the workers’ choice of Comrade Frank Kokori as Chairman, National Insurance Trust Fund (NISTF). Readers recall that earlier today, a protest which the workers had intended to be peaceful turned bloody when elements believed to be thugs came from nowhere and unleashed violent attacks on the workers, inflicting injuries on many.

Read More

3May By dthataNo Comments

Uncategorized

Nigeria’s Unemployment Rate To Reach 33.5% By 2020 – Ngige

Chris Ngige, Nigeria's Minister of Labour and Employment who spoke yesterday at the opening of a two-day workshop on Breaking the Resilience of High Unemployment Rate in the Country in Abuja, revealed that Nigeria’s unemployment rate is expected to reach 33.5% by 2020.Ngige who confirmed that the data from the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) shows that Nigeria's unemployment rate could reach 33.5 percent by 2020, added that the high unemployment rate of 23.1 percent and underemployment of 16.6 percent by the National Bureau Statistics (NBS) of 2019 report is a source to worry. He said; “It is a worrisome status as the global poverty capital (World Bank, 2018); and concomitant high prevalence rate of crimes and criminalities, including mass murders, insurgency, militancy, armed r...

Read More

25Apr By dthataNo Comments

Politics

Embrace Carpentry, Plumbing – Labour Minister, Ngige Tells Nigerians

Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, has advised Nigerians to carpentry, plumbing, and not focus only on white collar jobs. Ngige believes Nigeria’s high unemployment rate can be greatly reduced if more Nigerians embrace blue collar jobs that are largely neglected. He made this known during an interview on Channels TV’s Sunrise Daily on Wednesday, April 24, 2019. The Minister noted that the Federal Government has an established vocational skills policy, but that Nigerians think blue collar jobs are beneath their status. He said; "It (unemployment) was an issue and that was why we did an advocacy and told people not to look at only the white collar jobs. There are blue collar jobs. Skills. You have to train your hands. You have to do plumbing, carpentry, tailoring. “...

Read More

24Apr By Czar Owolabi MarcusNo Comments

News

Minister Of Labour And Employment Chris Ngige Reportedly Says Medical Doctors Are Free To Leave Nigeria

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige has said that he is not bothered about medical doctors leaving Nigeria, to practice outside the country. Ngige who was a guest on Channels TV Sunrise Daily, said the practice is not alien to Nigeria, because he was taught by Indians in secondary school. “I’m Not Worried, We Have Surplus (Doctors), if we have a surplus, we export. I was taught Biology and Chemistry by Indian teachers in my secondary school days. “They are surplus in their country. We have a surplus in the medical profession in our country. I can tell you this. It is my area, we have excess. We have enough, more than enough, quote me,” he said. Ngige, when asked if nothing was wrong, owing to his position as a qualified medical doctor, said there was nothing wron...

Read More

23Mar By dthataNo Comments

Politics

Buhari, Father Of Modern Nigeria – Chris Ngige

The Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige has described President Muhammadu Buhari as the father of modern Nigeria. In an interview conducted by GEOFFREY ANYANWU in Awka, Anambra State, Ngige said with the solid foundation being laid by the President in all sectors, Nigeria would soon boom again. Ngige spoke on the new minimum wage and other national issues. Before the election, the issue of minimum wage was raging. Was it a political strategy? There is nothing political about it. This President cares about workers. I care about workers; I have been a worker before, so, we all feel the pains. We all know that the economy; at least, that the minimum wage will move from the present N18,000 to something else. So, that was why we did all the negotiations as should be...

Read More

18Mar By dthataNo Comments

Politics

Igbos Are Qualified To Replace Saraki As Senate President – Chris Ngige

Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige has thrown his weight behind the quest that the Senate President’s position should go to the South East. In an interview with Sunday Sun, Ngige, a former governor of Anambra State, said that both Dr Orji Uzor Kalu and Senator Ben Uwajimogu are fully qualified for the position and should be considered by their party, APC. Ngige said: “We have those that are ranking now. We have Ben Uwajimogu, he is now a two-term Senator, he is coming back from the ruling party. “We have Dr Orji Uzor Kalu. Orji Uzor Kalu was a Federal Assembly legislator during the military regime, it’s counted, because it was a National Assembly, so he has got some ranking. “Therefore, Orji Uzor Kalu is also qualified. Okorocha’s case will be determined...

Read More

18Feb By dthataNo Comments

Crime

Hoodlums Hired To Assassinate Chris Ngige, Arrested In Anambra

According to reports, some hoodlums who were allegedly hired to assassinate the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, have been apprehended. It was gathered that the thugs were nabbed over the weekend in Alor community in Anambra state (the minister's hometown) following the elections which was postponed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by one week. The suspects have since been transferred from Alor community to the state CID for further interrogation.

Read More

13Feb By dthataNo Comments

Politics

2019 Presidency: Peter Obi Has No Influence In South – Ngige

Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, has said that the Vice Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Peter Obi has no influence in southeast. Dr. Ngige also said that Mr. Obi did not do well as governor of Anambra state when he was the number one citizen of the state. Ngige, who spoke with some journalists at his Abuja residence, also said that, he would battle Obi for votes even in Anambra Central Senatorial district where Obi may have more popularity. He said, contrary to the noise being made by the PDP VP candidate of an over N80 billion left for Obiano, that he was the first governor to bequeath reserves of funds to the successive governors. According to him”…the Vice President of the PDP is former governor Peter Obi my successor in Anambra ...

Read More

8Feb By dthataNo Comments

Education

ASUU And FG Sign Agreement, Suspends Nationwide Strike

ASUU has suspended its nationwide strike, after three months of industrial action. According to Channels Television, the National President of the union, Professor Biodun Ogunyemi, announced this on Thursday during a press briefing at the Nigeria Labour Congress complex in Abuja. The striking lecturers took the decision after a meeting with representatives of the Federal Government led by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige. TVC has earlier reported that, the federal government and the striking University teachers have finally signed an agreement, raising hope of an end to the three months old strike. The meeting came hours before Professor Ogunyemi announced the decision of ASUU to suspend the strike.

Read More

7Jan By dthataNo Comments

Politics

ASUU Strike: Ngige Begs University Lecturers To Have Mercy On Students

Labour & Employment Minister Chris Ngige has pleaded with striking varsity teachers to show mercy on students by calling off their strike. The teachers, under auspices of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), began a nationwide strike since November, last year, over some disagreement between the union and the Federal Government. Ngige also declared that Federal Government would pay a minimum wage, adding that things were being worked out by the Committee saddled with that responsibility. Ngige spoke yesterday in Awka, Anambra State capital, in a chat with reporters at the premises of a local radio station, belonging to the state. The Federal Government and Labour representatives adjourned their meeting till today after a five-hour deliberation last Friday. At...

Read More

2Jan By BobbyNo Comments

News

FG Speaks on Proposed NLC Strike Action

The Federal Government has reacted to the proposed Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC strike action on January 8 over the new national minimum wage.The Federal Government has scheduled a meeting with executives of the organized labour. The meeting is reported to hold on Friday, 5th of January, 3 days before the scheduled commencement of the strike. The President Muhammadu Buhari government, through the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige invited executives of the organized labour for a meeting on Friday at the Conference Hall of the ministry. The statement said, “Towards nipping in the bud threat of national industrial action by the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) over the transmission of the New National Minimum Wage to the National Assembly. “The Honourable Minister of ...

Read More