After three years and seven months as Labour and Employment Minister, Chris Ngige, is bowing out with a charge to the Organised Private Sector not to retrench workers in the implementation of the N30,000 minimum wage.
Correspondent Joke Adisa reports that a day to reminisce on the gains and challenges of the last forty three months when Mr. Chris Ngige, served as Nigeria’s Labour and Employment Minister.
Mr. Chris Ngige, came in at a time Nigeria’s economy was on a downward spiral. With oil as its main economic stay, Nigeria slid into economic recession as a result of the drastic fall in the price of oil in the international market.
Mr. Ngige’s first test came with the Increment in the pump price of fuel from N97 to N145 per litre and its attendant labour crisis.
Across Ministries, departments and agencies of government, Labour unions rose with one demand or the other, prompting Mr. Ngige’s intervention.
Mr. Ngige’s recent face-off with organised labour over the board of the NSITF remains one incident that has marred his relationship with one of his social partners and this is best captured at this valedictory session
As they take a bow, the two Ministers believe they acted in the best interest of the nation by their actions, particularly on the new minimum wage.
