FG to Approve New Minimum Wage this Year -NLC

• FG to Approve New Minimum Wage this Year -NLC

The General Secretary, Nigeria Labour Congress, Peter Ozo-Esan, has assured Nigerians that the federal government will commence the payment of the new minimum wage before the end of the year.

Ozo-Esan, who speaks with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Tuesday, said despite the delay caused by the Sallah break, the committee handling the review of the wage will complete its work on September 5th.

“We believe that the initial expectation that by September a new minimum wage should come on board, we think that the government still should be able to deliver that to Nigerians.”

“Nigerian workers will continue to demand that from the government and as soon as this report is submitted government should do the needful before the National Assembly, because that is the process.”

“We expect that the National Assembly will play its part in speedily considering the bill that will be placed before it and do everything possible for Nigerian workers to have a new minimum wage.’’

While the Federal Government set minimum wage to protect workers’ interest against unduly low pay, workers have accused the government of poorly paying them despite the harsh economy condition.

The minimum wage was last reviewed in 2011 and set at N18,000 per month.