PDP-controlled House of Representatives on Tuesday 29 January pulled the rug off the feet of the federal government of president Buhari and approved N30.000 as new minimum wage for Nigerian workers defying the Federal Government’s proposal for N27,000 contained in its draft bill to the to the legislature.
The federal government relying on the recommendation of the National Council of State, NCS had reneged on an earlier agreement of N30,000 reached with organized labour unions in the tripatrite committee.
As the federal government dragged its feet on the negotiated minimum wage, organized labour threatened further industrial action, before the bill was transmitted to the national assembly.
The House approval on Tuesday followed the consideration of the report of the ad-hoc committee on new minimum wage presented to the House at plenary. The approved bill also contains a clause that would make the new bill operational on the date it would be assented to by the president.
Earlier, on Monday 28 January, Speaker Mr. Yakubu Dogara [PDP, Bauchi] had constituted the committee and ordered for an accelerated hearing to the Bill.
At the passage of the bill, an elated Speaker Dogara said, “Today, we passed the new national minimum wage Bill 2019 in keeping with our commitment to improve the welfare of the Nigerian workers. The Bill was given speedy and accelerated passage in just two legislative days as a House of the Nigerian people.”
The Speaker said though the wage is a constitutional issue, he rather believes in workers earning what he calls a “living wage”, saying he wished that “the framers of our Constitution had provided for a living wage instead.”
With this development, Speaker Dogara and the House may be celebrated as hero’s and defenders of the interests of the Nigerian workers.
The bill will need to also pass the upper chamber – the Senate, and thereafter be sent to the president for assent to become law.
The House has adjourned plenary to February 19 after national election fixed for Saturday 16 February.
