Reps pass minimum wage law
The House of
Representatives has passed the new Minimum Wage Bill which will enforce
N18, 000 as the least paid wage nationwide, while recommending a paltry
N20,000 as penalty for defaulting employers.
The bill was sent
to the National Assembly by President Goodluck Jonathan late last year
and is now central to the president’s effort at securing wide support
from public and private sector workers for his re-elections.
The lawmakers had earlier named the bill as one of the few that will be given accelerated attention as they resumed January.
They adopted the
recommendations of the House joint Committee on Labour, Employment and
Productivity, and Finance on the law, before allowing the bill through
a mandatory third and final reading Wednesday.
The bill was passed two weeks ago by the Senate, and now requires only the presidential assent to become law.
However, there are doubts whether or not some state governors will pay the new amount.
The House
committees recommends that any employer that fails will pay N20,000 on
conviction and extra N1,000 daily as long as the breach continues. It
is not clear whether the amount will be paid to the employees.
Employers of labour in respect of which the law apply shall also
have the duty to keep records of wages or conditions of employment to
show compliance with the law or to face the same penalties.
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