The Federal Government says that organised labour has to make sure that state governments pay the minimum wage, since some states haven’t been able to do so.
This was said by Sen. George Akume, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), on Thursday in Abuja, at the end of a two-day pre-retirement meeting put together by XEM Consulting Ltd.
Permanent Secretary for the General Services Office at the OSGF, Dr. Nnamdi Mbaeri, spoke for Akume when he told organised labour not to let the government enforce the law.
“Since we’re talking about paying pensions, I’ll also bring it up with labour: you have to make sure these laws are followed; it’s not enough to just complain.”
“You should be able to come in and make sure that these laws are followed by everyone who needs to.”
“The Federal Government can make rules and send out circulars, but it’s up to the people who are watching how they’re carried out to make sure that people who don’t follow them are punished.”
“Whether it’s about minimum wage or pension, the best law is the one that can be enforced. If you make a broad law that you can’t enforce, it’s not worth making at all,” he said.
Akume says that the Federal Government has started many reform projects that will soon help people get out of poverty. However, Nigerians should be patient while these programmes take effect.
In his opening comments, Mr. Joe Ajaero, President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), said that he was sorry that the current pension plan wasn’t enough to help Nigeria’s growing older population.
There are hard times for Nigerian workers before and after they leave. The lump sum payment should be raised by at least 50%.
Workers today can relate to the theme of this summit: “Together, we can create a system that guarantees workers a retirement period of joy and not fear.”
As things stand, retirement under the current pension scheme could be the end of many people. Many workers have a lot of questions about the pension scheme after they leave.
“Not enough pension benefits, inflation, rising costs, and financial contributions made it hard to match the current monetary values after retirement,” he said.
Head of Civil Service of the Federation Dr. Folashade Yemi-Esan said that her office was working on changing the current health insurance plan so that it could cover retirees.
Yemi-Esan, who was accompanied by Dr. Comfort Adeosun, a director in the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, said that old people who were retired could not be left alone.
“Right now, your National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) enrollment stops on the day you retire.”
She told us to start the drive when she came in, but we are still working on insurance. I come from a system where we treat them when they leave.
“The president of the NLC said that the military had retirement camps and health care plans for retirees. All you have to do is show up at the hospital, and we’ll know they’re treating you.”
“As civil servants and public servants, we need to work together to make sure that the new policies we’re trying to make will work. We have to be ready to believe in them.”
The head of service also said that more was being done to help workers buy their own homes before they retired.
We have already bought more land and told ourselves we need to do more.
“What else do you want when you retire besides a house and health insurance?” “Like I said, the service head wants to get a lot done before she leaves,” she said.
Yemi-Esan says that her office has made a retirement plan that will help civil workers use their skills to the fullest, especially in the value chain of agriculture.
Dr. Eugenia Ndukwe, who organised the pre-retirement summit, promised that the well-being of Nigerian workers, especially pensioners, would always come first.
The summit’s theme, “Challenges, Prospects, Strategies, and Opportunities at Retirement in Nigeria,” was picked with care to help people who are planning to retire get ready for it, Ndukwe said.
“This theme fits perfectly with our goal to make a place where employees who are getting close to retirement, industry vendors, and stakeholders can come together, share resources, and work together to come up with new ways to live a fulfilling life after work.”
“Today is a big step forward in our journey to change the way people retire in Nigeria.”
“The summit’s main goal is to address the urgent need for a supportive ecosystem that makes it easy for Nigerians who are retiring to follow their passions and keep their finances in good shape.”
“We see a future where getting older is a joy and everyone can be wealthy.”
“We will talk about ways to make a steady income, get health care, and grow as a person. We will also talk about chances for business ownership, mentoring, and getting involved in the community,” she said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) says that awards were given to outstanding people and organisations that have had a big effect on the lives of workers and pensioners in Nigeria.
You can win an award for Best Media Personality in Print, Broadcast, and Radio for Supporting Retiree Welfare (NAN).
