The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) says that the new minimum wage that President Muhammadu Buhari recently signed into law is binding on all the country’s labour employers.
NLC president Ayuba Wabba said this while appearing on Friday as a guest on the Sunrise Daily of Channels Television.
The new minimum wage, approved by the two National Assembly Chambers and signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari, was binding, Mr. Wabba said.
The NLC boss lamented for a guide to simplifying the system about the different wage structure of public and civil service.
In addition, he called for the increase of retired Nigerian workers ‘ pensions and their gratuity.
“It goes with pensions (minimum wage). The Constitution says that, whenever the minimum wage is increased, pensioners should automatically benefit as well,” he said.
Some retirees receive a monthly pay of N5,000. “We know, of course, no one can live on N5,000 these days,” he said.
The labor leader, speaking about workers who do not pay the minimum wage, said that the punishment would be imposed on them under the law.
Mr Wabba said that, due to inflation and other issues, the minimum wage should be revised for an increase every five years.
He stated that the monthly pay of N30,000 is exempted only by employers whose employees are less than 25.
“The implementation by the employers is actually going to happen.” All workers, except those exempt, in particular those employing fewer than 25, “he said.
He said that employees expect the Commission on wages to issue a guideline and the Circular, which is essential to the implementation of various employers.
Labor unions warned on Thursday that no state chapter of the labor movement would accept any renegotiation from any state governor for downward review of N30,000’s already signed national minimum wage law.
Mr Wabba said that the Nigerian workers had been strictly directed against accepting from the governors any minimum wage less than N30,000.
President Muhammadu Buhari has challenged Nigerian workers to show more commitment to their work to justify the signing of the new N30000 National Minimum Wage Act.
The senior assistant of the President of the Matters of the National Assembly, Ita Enang, had previously stated that the N30 000 minimum wage was to be implemented by the 18th of April.
He said the bill now makes the payment of N30, 000 as the minimum wage obligatory for employers in public and private sectors.
