The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) signaled its intent to advocate for the inclusion of a clause imposing sanctions on governors and local government administrators who fail to adhere to the new minimum wage.
Hakeem Ambali, the National Treasurer of the NLC, revealed this in an interview, highlighting that the absence of punitive measures in the Minimum Wage Act of 2019 contributed to state governors’ reluctance to comply with the current minimum wage.
This announcement coincides with the forthcoming meeting of the 37-member committee established by the Federal Government to deliberate on reports submitted by various sub-committees across the six zones of the country.
In January 2024, President Bola Tinubu, represented by his Vice-President Kashim Shettima, inaugurated the 37-member panel tasked with recommending a new national minimum wage.
Ambali emphasized, “In the new minimum wage bill, we have incorporated internal clauses to ensure governors face challenges in evading payment. Additionally, some governors are actively involved in the negotiation process.”
He further stated, “The bill includes provisions for sanctions and proposes increased allocations to local governments to eliminate any excuses for non-compliance.”
Meanwhile, the 37-member Tripartite Committee on Minimum Wage is scheduled to convene this week to deliberate on stakeholders’ proposals for the new minimum wage. An executive bill is anticipated to be forwarded to the National Assembly for amending the current Minimum Wage Act.
The proposed minimum wage aims to mitigate the impact of the removal of fuel subsidy. During public hearings, various regions recommended different amounts, with the South-West proposing N794,000, the North-East N560,000, North-West N485,000, North-Central N709,000, South-South N850,000, and South-East N540,000.
