The Nigerian Senate has approved N30, 000 as the new national minimum wage.
Francis Alimikhena- Chairman of the Senate ad-hoc committee on National Minimum Wage Bill, appealed to state government to immediately commence the implementation of the new national minimum wage to reduce the incidence of strikes by Labour unions in the country. He equally announced that a fine of N75, 000 shall been slammed on private establishments that refuse to comply with the wage payment.
The panel recommended the urgent review of the revenue-sharing formula, which will enhance the states to pay the new minimum wage. There were also recommendations mandating the Minister of Finance and her counterparts in the Budget and National Planning to as a matter of urgency, compute and forward to the National Assembly, for inclusion in the 2019 budget, the actual amount required for the new minimum wage.
Senate President Bukola Saraki thanked all stakeholders including the labour leaders and those in the public sector for their patience and diligence while the minimum wage debate lasted. He called for greater and timely welfare packages for the Nigerian workers to enhance their productivity and accommodate national economic realities.