TheCable

Chris Ngige, minister of labour and employment, says his monthly salary after the deduction of taxes is N942,000.

Speaking on Monday in an interview with Channels Television, Ngige said he was not entitled to any allowance as a minister except when on official trips.

“My salary is N942,000 a month. That is my salary with My PA. Gross total after-tax — my feeding, my transport, the transport of one PA, the salary of my gardener, my cook,” the labour minister said.

“They are all consolidated. After huge taxation, they paid me N942,000. Every minister you see, that is what you will see. The special advisers get around that amount too.

“The allowances are not anything. We don’t have any allowances except if you travel, you can get duty tour allowance, like every other public officer.”

Ngige noted that the federal government recently reviewed the travel allowance the ministers, permanent secretaries and others are receiving.

“It was reviewed to N100,000 for a minister, and I think ministers of states, N75,000; permanent secretaries, N70,000, and down the line. Level one, everybody else’s own was reviewed, not only our own,” he said.

Speaking on the issue of minimum wage, the labour minister said the outgoing administration of President Muhammadu Buhari will not increase the salaries of workers before leaving office, adding that the next administration will address the issue of workers’ salaries after assuming office.

“I’m sure that the incoming government of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu will tow the same line and do the necessary fixing. He is a finance manager. He managed the finances of Lagos very well. He paid the salaries that needed to be paid and even add the extra payment for the judicial workers in Lagos. I have no fear about that at all,” Ngige said.

While reacting to the challenge of unemployment, the labour minister said the responsibility of job creation is a “cross-cutting”  issue that should not be left in the hands of the public sector alone.

Ngige attributed the challenge to the decline in foreign direct investments.

“The point is that job creation is a cross-cutting thing. It is not only for the public sector to do,” he said.

“Everybody has it in mind that it is the government that creates jobs. If we don’t work in a federal ministry or government agency, we have not got a job. No, the private sector is there.”