- Senator Shehu Sani has demanded the federal government to make good its national minimum wage promise for the third quarter of the year
- Sani stated that the implementation of the national minimum wage was overdue and that workers in the country are faced with serious economic constraints
- He further said that the National Assembly is making efforts to see that the federal government adhere to the minimum wage scheme
Senator Shehu Sani of Kaduna senatorial central district has urged the presidency to fulfil the third quarter promise for the implementation of the new national minimum Wage for workers in the country.
Sani said this in his speech with newsmen on Tuesday, March 13, in Abuja. It would be recalled that Senator Chris Ngige, minister of labour and Employment had assured civil servants of government’s resolve to conclude negotiations on the new national minimum wage before the end of the third quarter, Nigerian Tribune reports.
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Ngige, who is also the deputy chairman of the threefold committee for the review of the national minimum wage, also gave assurance that the committee was in progress.
He said that if the promise was made in the interest of the workers, it has to be implemented, but if it was made as a political statement there would certainly be a consequence.
Ngige stated: “The honour of the government and the integrity is to keep to that promise and that pledge, if not it is going to affect the relationship between workers and the government."
Sani said that the implementation of the national minimum wage was long overdue as workers in the country are faced with various challenges and hardships.
He further remarked: “I do not think Nigerian workers are doing well if you look at the reality of life today, the economic situation and compare it to the minimum wage.
“It means what they are earning, there is nothing to write home about as they have bills to settle, school fees for the children, house rents, among others.
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“If you put all these into perspectives, you will see that the minimum wage is no more a minimum wage, because it cannot even take care of their basic necessities. So, as representatives of the people, we have both the constitutional, political, moral responsibility to advance, defend and protect the course of worker’s demand.‘’
He said that the National Assembly would ensure that the minimum wage is strictly followed by the federal government.
Meanwhile, NAIJ.com reported that Ngige, on Monday, March 5, assured Nigerian workers that implementation of a new minimum wage in the country would be done.
He said the committee set up for that purpose by the federal government had already started work.
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Source: Naija.ng