Government to pay new minimum wage in June

Government to pay new minimum wage in June

The Secretary, National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, Dr Afolabi Thompson, has said that the Federal Government is to pay the new minimum wage to workers in June.

Thompson made the announcement in an interview with reporter on Friday in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital.

He said that the modality for the implementation of the new wage was now at its final stage.

“We have done the entire scenario and it has been passed to the chairman of this commission and I’m sure by May or June, it will be fully-implemented.

“It is now our job to send our recommendations to the government, from there, government will now take a position on implementing the payment,’’ Thompson said.

Delays

He said that the just-concluded general elections had resulted to the delay in the payment of the new wage.

According to him, government will take steps to effect the payment after the elections and the swearing-in.

Minimum wage bill

President Goodluck Jonathan recently signed the 18,000 Naira National Minimum Wage Bill into law.

Employers of labour in both public and private establishments in the country are also expected to pay 18,000 Naira as minimum wage to their workers, as stipulated by the bill.

The new wage law states that once an employer in the public or private sector has staff strength of 50 persons and above, he or she is bound by the law to pay a minimum wage of 18,000 Naira.

NAN/Williams