Bill to Jail Employers For Late Payment of Salary Reach Second Reading at the House of Rep

The House of Representatives has passed for second reading a bill that will penalised salary defaulters. 

The bill will prohibit late payment of salaries, underpayment of wages, pension and other emoluments in Nigeria.

The bill was sponsored by the speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon Femi Gbajabiamila. It scaled through to the second reading on Tuesday without a debate.  

If passed into law and signed by the president, employers who delay salary, wages and pension risk one-year imprisonment. 

Section 2 of the bill stated that “Every employer of labour in Nigeria, whether private or public, and whether it is employing any worker on permanent or contract basis must ensure that all payment of wages, salaries, pension and all benefits to workers are paid promptly without delay weekly, fortnightly monthly, quarterly or yearly as may be agreed by parties in the contract of employment of the additional individuals”. 

Furthermore, the bill seeks to prohibit arbitrary and harsh deduction as punishment in the event of damages and negligence by an employee. 

Section 3(1) of the bill says “an employer is prohibited from entering into any contract with any workman for any deduction from the sum contracted to be paid by the employer to the workman, or any payment to the employer by the workman for in respect of bad negligent work or injury to the material or property of the employer or in respect of any fine.”

Meanwhile, different opinions have trailed the bill. While some commentators commended it, others opined that the bill was dead on arrival. 

A social commentator with the name, Alabi Adejobi said,” The Federal Government and the State Governments are the worst salary defaulters. Unfortunately, they are also the biggest employer of labour in the country. So the law would not work because it is against the biggest defaulters.”

However, another commentator with the name Omolade Grace welcomed the bill. “Better, I hope they can enforce it.” She noted. 

Investors King understands that the bill will need to be passed by both the House of Representatives and the Senate before it is transmitted to the President. It will only become law if the present assent to the bill.