NLC Nigeria Labour Congress

Tell Nigerians how many people N70,000 minimum wage covers – NLC to lawmakers

The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC has called on the National Assembly to expedite action on modalities for the coverage of the new national minimum wage.

Mr Joe Ajaero, NLC President said this during a book launch on Monday in Abuja.

Recall that on July 24, the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, said during a plenary session that the N70,000 new national minimum wage applied to all workers, including maids and other domestic staff.

According to Ajaero, there is a need for the National Assembly to come out clean on the area of coverage of the new minimum wage.

“There is a need for us to know the number of persons that the Minimum Wage Act covers.

“This means that until the National Assembly comes clear on this, there will be confusion. There is a need for an explanation on the number of people it covers because, in every minimum wage, there are basic components.

“But up till now, they have not released the white paper to determine the number of persons that the minimum wage will cover, ”he said

He, however, said that by the pronouncement of the Senate President, the new minimum wage was not restricted to companies that employed over 25 people.

He said the NLC was waiting for the law itself to come out to quickly address the issues before the confusion would start.

“This means, if you have one gate man or maid, you pay him or her N70,000. So that is the explanation I am asking,” he said.