NECA tasks workers on improved productivity for national growth

Following the agreement reached by the Federal Government and organised labour on consequential adjustment on the new national minimum wage increase, the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA), has called on Nigerian workers to roll up their sleeves for improved productivity.

NECA argued that the nation needed all hands to be on deck for the country to come out of the present economic challenges.

Director-General of NECA, Timothy Olawale, said the time is ripe to ensure and align a reward system with productivity in the workplace, noting that it should be applicable in both the private and public sectors.

He commended government and labour for embracing social dialogue in resolving the issue of consequential adjustment in the public sector rather than allowing the unions to embark on industrial action.

Olawale urged the government not to renege on its position that the implementation date remains April 18, when President Muhammadu Buhari signed the bill into law.

He stated that the implementation of the consequential adjustment would definitely improve the purchasing powers of Nigerian workers.

Olawale urged Nigerians to note that the national minimum wage mechanism is not for a general salary review but a process to fix an amount below which no employer should pay its least paid workers.

He said: “There are mechanisms in the private sector, which allow for salary review on periodic basis and this has stabilised the sector, as employers in the private sector are not paying below the N30, 000 national minimum wages.”

Meanwhile, NECA has expressed concerns over the recent sealing of the premises of Nestlé Nigeria Plc by officials of the National Lottery Regulatory Commission (NLRC).

It said the approach is counter-productive to efforts to improve the ease of doing business in Nigeria and could roll back progress towards attracting further investments into the country.
Olawale rejected allegations that Nestlé Nigeria owes N65.1 million to the NLRC as unpaid lottery fees.

He said: “NLRC’s recent actions in sealing the premises of a company and forcing them to sign an undertaking to make payment in a matter pending in court raises concerns about the ease of doing business in Nigeria. The rule of law requires that parties in a court case should respect the rule of law and maintain the status quo until the final determination by the court,” he said.

He noted that this is not the first time that the NLRC unduly pressures its members, and called on the Federal Government to impress on it the imperative of respecting the rule of law as well as promoting dialogue and rules of engagement to resolve issues amicably within the provisions of the law when dealing with businesses.