President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday signed the Minimum Wage Repeal and Reenactment Bill, 2019 into law.
Senator Ita Enang, Senior Special Assistant to the President on
National Assembly Matters(Senate) disclosed this while briefing State
House correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The Senate had on March 19, approved N30, 000 as the new national
minimum wage with an appeal to the Federal Government to expedite action
on assent and implementation.
“This makes it compulsory for all employers of labour in Nigeria to
pay their workers the sum of N30,000 and this excludes persons who are
employing less than 25 workers; persons who work in a ship which sail
out of jurisdiction; persons who are in other kinds of regulated
employments are excepted by the Act.
“It also gives the workers the right if you are compelled by any
circumstance to accept salary that is less than 30,000 for you to sue
your employers to recover the balance.
“It authorises the minister of labour and any person nominated by the
minister of labour or any person designated by the minister of labour
in any ministry, department or agency to on your behalf take action in
your name against such employer to recover the balance of wages.
“It also ensures and mandates the National Salaries, Incomes and
Wages Commission and the minister of labour to be the chief and
principal enforcers of the provisions of this law; and this law applies
to all agencies and persons and bodies throughout the Federal Republic
of Nigeria.
“The effective date is April 18, 2019 as Mr President has assented
to; it has been assented to and it takes effect today except such other
provision as are contained in the Act.”
Enang said that the enforcement and the right to start the
implementation of the provisions commenced immediately including such
steps that would to be taken gradually under the provisions of the Act.
He urged Nigerian workers to celebrate President Buhari and support his administration and policies.
The senior special assistant said that the administration would come
out and march together with Nigerian workers on Workers Day.
“Mr President will celebrate Workers Day and this government will celebrate.
“This is Mr President showing the love he has for Nigerian workers,’’ he said.
