The Federal executive Council has approved the setting up of a 49 man tri-patricommittee made of the unions in the public sector representatives of the private sector and six Governors to look in to and negotiate a new National Minimum wage.
This formed part of decisions reached at the Wednesday’s meeting of the Cabinet.
Statehouse Correspondent Tai Amodu reports that the public rejection of top Government officials at the Mayday rally was a spontaneous reaction by workers after months of calls by Labour Unions for an increase in the National Minimum wage following the removal of subsidies on Petroleum Motor spirit.
Council’s approval was secured after deliberation of a report on National Minimum Wage, submitted by the Joint committee of Government on one side and the Labour Federation made up of TUC and NLC on the other.
Council also approved a memo towards decongestion of prisons through a prerogative of mercy arrangement and refurbishing of structures within existing prisons.
Council agreed that the current condition of prisons did not allow it to perform its primary responsibility which is reformation of inmates, due to over-congestion of most prisons in the country.
A National Forest Trust Fund was also brought to the table by the Ministry of Environment which also sought the lifting of a suspension that had been placed on logging in the country since the beginning of the year.
Council is confident that the Trust Fund would facilitate the setting up of forest estates which would ensure that there is adequate replanting of trees felled.
But the Federal Government will seek the cooperation of states in ensuring the policy works, as it acknowledges that apart from the seven National Parks under its control, the majority of the forest reserves in the country fall under the purview of states.
