Victor Ezeja
Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has stated that the newly approved minimum wage will apply to all workers both in public and private sectors.
Akpabio, who made the declaration during plenary on Tuesday, during passage of the new minimum wage Bill, said it equally applies to housemaids, gatemen, drivers, and other domestic staff across the country.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelPrime Business Africa reports that both the Senate and the House of Representatives speedily passed the bill immediately after it was transmitted by President Bola Tinubu on Tuesday, 23rd July 2024.
“If you are a tailor and you employ additional hands, you cannot pay them below N70,000. If you are a mother with a newborn child and you want to hire a housemaid to look after your child, you cannot pay the person below the approved minimum wage. It is not a maximum wage. It applies to all and sundry,” Akpabio stated.
“If you hire a driver or gateman, you cannot pay them below N70,000. So, I’m very delighted that this has been passed, and we now look forward to employers of labour improving on what has been set as a benchmark for all to follow.”
The Senate President congratulated the organised labour, Nigerians and the National Assembly for the successful passing of what he described as “epoch-making legislation.”
The bill, which will now be sent to President Tinubu to give his assent, has formally increased Nigeria’s national minimum wage from N30,000 to N70,000.
In the bill, Tinubu requested the National Assembly to reduce the term of negotiation for upward review from five years to three years.
“I congratulate the Nigeria Labour Congress, all Nigerians, and the National Assembly for this epoch-making legislation, which has even reduced the term of negotiations from five years to three years in view of the increasing cost of living. This is, again, a landmark legislation, so congratulations,” Akpabio added.
Labour leaders who had insisted on N250,000 when the Federal Government initially offered N62,000 minimum wage, said last week Thursday, after meeting with President Tinubu when the agreement was formally cemented, said they accepted N70,000 wage because of other incentives attached and the promise that there will be a periodic review.
Victor Ezeja is a passionate journalist with seven years of experience writing on economy, politics and energy. He holds a Master's degree in Mass Communication.
