The NLC’s National Treasurer, Hakeem Ambali, revealed this in an interview, attributing state governors’ non-compliance to the absence of punitive measures in the Minimum Wage Act of 2019.
By Karo Oghenetega
The Nigeria Labour Congress indicated it would advocate for a clause that imposes penalties on governors and local government administrators who fail to implement the new minimum wage.
The NLC’s National Treasurer, Hakeem Ambali, revealed this in an interview, attributing state governors’ non-compliance to the absence of punitive measures in the Minimum Wage Act of 2019.
The 37-member committee appointed by the Federal Government is scheduled to convene this week to review reports submitted by sub-committees from the country’s six zones.
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The committee, inaugurated by President Bola Tinubu’s Vice-president, Kashim Shettima, is composed of representatives from federal and state governments, the private sector, and organized labour, tasked with recommending a new national minimum wage.
Proposed sanctions
Ambali said, “When we look at the purchasing power in Nigeria, we can see a huge difference between 2019 and now. With the stoppage of the payment of the fuel subsidy, we can see an increase in the hardship of Nigerians.
“In the new minimum wage bill which will soon be signed into law by the President, we have put in some internal clauses to make it difficult for governors not to pay the new minimum wage. It is also good to know that some of the governors are also involved in the negotiation process.
“Labour itself has to be responsive. Once the National Minimum Wage Bill is signed into law juxtaposed with Labour’s responsiveness, we know they will pay. As you can see,0 even private companies have started increasing the salaries of workers and some of them are even paying wage awards for their workers.
“So in the bill, the clause involves sanctions and also talks about increased allocation to local governments so that nobody will have any excuse of not paying the approved rate.”
The PUNCH Newspaper
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