Chris Ngige, minister of labour and employment, has alleged
that there is disparity in payments of foreign and local workers in parts of
the country.
Speaking on Thursday during a courtesy visit by Muheeba
Dankaka, chairman of the Federal Character Commission (FCC), and other federal
commissioners, Ngige said states in Nigeria employ and pay foreigners higher
than their Nigerian counterparts.
He said the preferential treatment given to foreigners does
not encourage national unity and loyalty.
He, therefore, appealed to the FCC to use its constitutional
mandate to promote national unity and loyalty, rather than concentrate its
efforts only on the public sector.
“There are areas we
need you to look into, especially where the constitution is silent,” NAN quoted
him as saying.
“We have cases where doctors are employed from Egypt, Cuba
and Pakistan and they are paid five times what the Nigerian doctor will get if
you convert the foreign exchange they use to pay them.
“But in this country, I was here when some of my teachers
left from south-east to go and teach in the north-east at a time. They left
because we had enough down there to export to our brothers.
“They were paid with
our local currency and given some other incentives, which at the end of the
day, made the economy of those states to be alright.
“Whether you like it or not, if some people are poor in
Nigeria in the poverty index rating, when the Nigerian poverty index is being
taken, it will be an aggregate, including those places.
“If it is health, when the health parameters are being
taken, it is for the whole. So, FCC can go into that area.”
The minister asked the FCC to persuade the affected state
governments to advertise those jobs, so that Nigerians can come from various
regions in the country to fill the gaps.
Ngige also advised the commission to be innovative by using
its broad mandate established by section 14 (3) of the 1999 Nigerian
constitution (as amended), as it would help build the country.
“Our constitution is the supreme law of the land. And any
law made by anybody, whether national and state assembly that is in conflict
with constitution is void,” he said.
“So, you people have a strong mandate from the supreme law
of the land.”
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