The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has signaled its intention to advocate for the inclusion of a clause that would impose penalties on governors and local government administrators who fail to implement the new minimum wage. Hakeem Ambali, the National Treasurer of the NLC, revealed this in an interview, attributing the non-compliance of state governors to the absence of punitive measures in the Minimum Wage Act of 2019.
The 37-member committee established by the Federal Government is set to convene this week to discuss reports submitted by sub-committees from the six geopolitical zones. The committee, which includes representatives from federal and state governments, the private sector, and organized labor, aims to propose a new national minimum wage for the country.
Ambali emphasized the need for a clause in the new minimum wage bill that includes sanctions and increased allocation to local governments, ensuring that no one can use a lack of funds as an excuse for not paying the approved rate. He also mentioned that labor must be proactive in ensuring that the new minimum wage is implemented once the National Minimum Wage Bill is signed into law.
During public hearings, different zones proposed varying minimum wage amounts. The South-West suggested N794,000; the North-East proposed N560,000; the North-West proposed N485,000; the North-Central proposed N709,000; the South-South demanded N850,000; and the South-East proposed N540,000. The new minimum wage is expected to help mitigate the impact of the subsidy removal on Premium Motor Spirit.
