Reps want minimum wage reviewed every 5 years

The House of Representatives on Tuesday passed for second reading, a bill that sought to ensure that the National Minimum wage is reviewed every 5 years.

The bill entitled, “A bill for an Act to amend the National Minimum Wage Act, Cap. N61, laws of the federation of Nigeria, 2004 to make provisions for periodic review of the National Minimum Wage every 5 years and for other related matters (HB. 1028),” sponsored by the Majority Leader, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila.

‎Leading debate on the bill, Hon. Gbajabiamila said that, “provided that the minimum wage in sub-section 1 of this section shall be subject to periodic review every 5 years and the first review shall be effective from the 1st day of January, 2017 irrespective of the day the Bill comes into force”.

According to him, Section 2 of the Principal Act is hereby amended by inserting immediately after sub-section 2 a new sub-section 3 to read as follows: “The Minister may by order published in the Federal Gazette review the minimum wage any time before 5 years from the day of last review in the event of some supervening circumstances in the interest of the national economy and Nigerian workers”.

Speaking further, he said that, “provided that in the event that this sub-section is activated by the Minister, the next periodic review contemplated under section 1 shall be 5 years after the review under this sub-section”

‎Hon Gbajabiamila ‎while speaking said that, “year in year out people clamour for increment in the minimum wage”.

He added that, as of today there is no law that compel government to review salaries, stressing that, the review was at the whips and caprice of government.

Hon. Gbajabiamila equally maintained that, several countries in the world like United Kingdom, Canada among others have in their law to review salaries of workers.

He also said that, “you cannot say you want to stamp out corruption and not give the people the livable wage to take care of their family”.

The chairman, rules and business, Hon. Emmanuel Orker Jev, Nkiruka Onyejeocha and Toby Okechukwu supported the bill.

Specifically, Hon Okechukwu said that, the review of the National Minimum wage would ensure that, government relation with the workers is enhanced, stressing that, acceptance of this bill would introduce sanity and orderliness into government business.

‎Hon. Yakubu Abiodun-Balogun on his part said that, a situation where the government does not care to carryout review of the National Minimum wage was wrong‎.