National Assembly
The House of Representatives Committee on Labour, Employment and
Productivity, on Thursday, said the National Assembly would give the
minimum wage bill accelerated hearing and passage.
The Chairman of the committee, Rep Ezenwa Onyewuchi, made the
remark in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.
NAN reports that President Muhammadu Buhari had, on Nov. 27, 2017,
set up a 30-man National Minimum Wage Committee headed by former Head of
Service of the Federation, Ms. Amal Pepple.
The committee had recommended a N30, 000 minimum wage for workers
but the governors, who argued that they were not carried along, insisted
it would be impossible for them to implement without reducing their
workforce.
Onyewuchi, who represents Owerri Municipal/North/West Federal
Constituency of Imo State, said when the minimum wage amendment bill is
sent to them by President Buhari, the National Assembly would do the
needful.
”For us, we have to wait here until the president sends in the
amendment bill, it will go through the rudiment of law making; pass
through the committees at various levels.
”We know how important it is; we know that the workers are
desirous of wage increase, especially the minimum wage, which for me as a
committee chairman, I consider it important,” he said.
The lawmaker said although the bill would not negate the normal
legislative scrutiny, he assured that it would be given an expeditious
passage.
”And for me, we want a living wage, a wage the workers can live on.
”And essentially, I am in support of it because if you look at
it on the last May Day, I was the person that moved the motion on the
floor of the House on this same issue of wage increase and minimum wage
adjustment.
”So, I think for me, there is need to take a second look at the
minimum wage and by the time it is sent to us, we will give it an
expeditious passage,” he said.
On the December deadline given to the Federal Government to complete all negotiations, Onyewuchi said ”since
the constitution makes provision for amendment to the Minimum Wage
Act, at the end of the day, we will find a common ground to agree on a
minimum wage for the country.
”But at the moment, the issue is still with the tripartite
committee. I have been briefed by the Ministry of Labour and there seems
to be some levels of disagreement.
”So I do not expect it will be a one-way thing. It is a process; the process has started,” Onyewuchi said. (NAN)