The federal government has said that the organised labour has the obligation to enforce compliance to the minimum wage payments by state governments following the inability of some states to pay.
George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) disclosed this at the end of a two-day Pre-retirement Summit organised by XEM Consulting Ltd.
Akume, who was represented by Dr Nnamdi Mbaeri, Permanent Secretary, General Services Office (OSGF) urged the organised labour not to leave the enforcement of the law to the government.
“So, as we are discussing paying pension, I will also throw it back to labour; you have the duty to enforce the compliance of these laws; it is not just the question of complaining,” he said.
“You should be able to come in; ensure the compliance of these laws by the relevant stakeholders.
“Federal Government can come up with a policy and issue circulars, but then the onus lies on those who are monitoring the implementation, to ensure that lack of compliance should be sanctioned.
“Whether it is minimum wage or pension, the best law that can be made is the law you can enforce; if you make an omnibus law that you cannot enforce, that law is good as nothing.”
According to Akume, the federal government has initiated a lot of reform programmes that will lift people out of poverty in the nearest future but that Nigerians should be patient, while it materialise.
Earlier in his remarks, Joe Ajaero, President, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), regretted that the current pension scheme fell short of taking care of Nigeria’s aging population.
“Nigerian workers before and after retirement are faced with challenging life situations; the lump sum payment should be increased by at least 50 per cent.
“Together, we can create a system that assures workers a retirement period of joy and not trepidation; the theme of this summit resonates with the present day workforce.
“Retirement under the current pension scheme may become a death sentence for many; many questions fill the minds of workers post retirement as regards the pension scheme.
“Inadequate pension benefits, inflation, rising cost and the financial contributions made pre-retirement difficult to match the current monetary values at post retirement,’’ he said.
Dr Folashade Yemi-Esan, Head of Civil Service of the Federation, said that her office was working on remodelling the existing health insurance programme to accommodate retirees.
Yemi-Esan, who was represented by Dr Comfort Adeosun, a Director in the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, said retirees could not be abandoned in their old age.
