Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, has commenced another face of dialogue with Labour Unions again in Abuja as deadline issued by Labour for the payment of a new wage approved for workers by the Federal Government draw near.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the meeting is the latest in a series of meetings with Labour leaders to commence the payment of the consequential adjustment in the new minimum wage, signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari since April 18.

The leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Trade Union Congress and the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council are participating in the latest meeting with Ngige.

On October 7, labour leaders issued a communiqué, warning that economic activities would be shut down on October 16, if the Federal Government failed to reconvene a meeting of the committee on consequential adjustments.

Speaking on Wednesday, the Secretary-General of the JNPSNC, Mr Alade Lawal, told a meeting of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria in Abuja that workers had started mobilizing for a strike.

He said the partial implementation of the minimum wage for levels one to six was a ‘divide-and-rule’ system that would be vehemently opposed by labour.

How many people are there? So when you even look at the circular, it is full of errors. As far as we are concerned, no circular has been issued.

Lawal pointed out that organised labour was not opposed to discussion, consultations or anything.

He said that what was worrisome was the delay in reconvening the meeting of the committee on consequential adjustment.

“In the communiqué, issued last week by TUC, NLC and the Joint Council, we were asking the government to reconvene the committee and within one week, let the committee complete its assignment.

Accordning to Lawal Labour, we are not averse to discussion, consultations or anything. But they are yet to reconvene the main meeting of the committee.