Presidency lauds speedy consideration of bill

The Executive yesterday lauded the House of Representatives for the speedy consideration of the New National Minimum Wage Bill transmitted to the National Assembly for consideration.

Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (House of Representatives) Umar Ibrahim el-Yakub said it “shows a sense of responsibility and commitment to the Nigerian people.”

El-Yakub who was being introduced to the media by his Senate counterpart, Senator Ita Enang said: “I’m very happy to say that the relationship between the Executive and the Legislature has been very cordial.

“I have started on a very good note, especially with the expeditious reading of a very important bill which was just transmitted yesterday by me to the Speaker, which is the minimum wage bill.

“I am sure that those that have covered the sitting today, the Speaker and indeed the members of the House, have shown their sense of responsibility and commitment to the Nigerian people by partnering with Mr. President to expeditiously read that bill on the floor of the House.”

He said the second reading had been done “shows that the leadership and members of the House have certainly extended, as they will continue to do, their hand of friendship and concern for the welfare and well-being of the workers and indeed for anything that would promote the interest of our people.

“Let me use this opportunity to also assure you, I will work with the leadership and members of the House to make sure that we put Mr. President on a good standing with the legislature.

“And of course, to ensure there’s effective and efficient communication between the legislature, in particular, the House of Representatives which I’m assigned to superintendent as a liason officer.”

El-Yakub was accompanied to the briefing by the Minister of State for Aviation Hadi Sirika, representative Aliyu Farouk Senator Ita Enang.

The bill, dated January January, read in part “The purpose of this letter is to forward to you for legislative action, a new Minimum Wage Bill, to further amend the National Minimum Wage (Amendment) Act, 2011, in order to give a new National Minimum Wage of Twenty Seven Thousand Naira (27,000) per month to the lowest paid Nigerian worker from the current Eighteen Thousand Naira (N18,000) per month.

“This new Bill and the amendments contained therein were arrived at after consultations by the Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage which was constituted by me in November, 2017, to consider, make recommendations, and advise the Government on this.

“The Tripartite Committee comprised representatives of the Federal Government, Governors’ Forum, Organised Private Sector, and the Organised Federations of Trade Unions in Nigeria.

“The Federal Executive Council, National Economic Council, and the National Council of States have all noted and approved these recommended amendments. Other highlights of the amendments include:

Exemptions for Establishments employing less than twenty five (25) persons;

Five years review period of the Act in consonance with the Constitutional review period of Pensions;

Alterations in the amount of fines payable by defaulters on prosecution.

“Bearing in mind that the issue of prescribing a National Minimum Wage for the Federation or any part thereof is within the Executive Legislative List of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and listed as item No. 34 of Part I of the Second Schedule, it is my pleasure to forward this Bill for expeditious action.”