Nigerian President Signs New Minimum Wage Act

Nigerian Interim President Goodluck Jonathan of the Niger Delta has been selected by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party to run for national office in the upcoming elections. a photo by Pan-African News Wire File Photos on Flickr.

Jonathan Signs New Minimum Wage Act

Wednesday, 16 March 2011 01:58
Moses John, Abuja
Nigeria Leadership

Henceforth, employers of labour in both public and private establishments in Nigeria are expected to pay N18,000 as minimum wage to their workers. Reason: President Goodluck Jonathan has signed the N18,000 National Minimum Wage into law.The new wage law states that once an employer in the public or private sector has a workforce of about 50 persons, he or she is bound by the law to pay a minimum wage of N18,000.

Meanwhile, reports reaching us indicate that inflation rate in the country has declined by 11.1 per cent, remaining above the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN’s) target rate.

With the president’s signing of the wage bill into law, the prolonged negotiations and threats of strikes on the issue by the organised labour has been put to rest.

Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, while speaking yesterday at the launch of the N2.3 billion national secretariat complex of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) in Abuja, assured workers that the president was committed to giving workers a living wage.

“It may interest you to know that Mr. President has just signed into law the N18, 000 minimum wage approved by the National Assembly, not just because civil servants said no minimum wage, no elections, but because he shares your moments, having been a salary earner himself, even when he was a lecturer at the University of Port Harcourt,” the minister said.

The minister called on workers to support the administration of Jonathan because it was labour-friendly and determined to bring hope to the working class in the country.

Mohammed however conceded that the launch of the N2.3 billion ASCSN secretariat was holding at a time of electioneering by political parties.

The minister was represented by the director of administration, social development secretariat, FCT, Mr. Salihu Hussaini Ashara,

The president of ASCSN, Comrade Olakunle Olaitan, in his welcome address, appealed to eminent Nigerian philanthropists and politicians to support the vision of the Union and support it to raise the required money for the secretariat.

While commending Jonathan for signing of the N18, 000 minimum wage bill into law, he also urged the president to quickly move further and consummate it to ensure that governments at all levels commence the payment immediately.

He advised that the government must put in place a mechanism that will consistently and continually lead to adjustment and increase in the minimum wage of workers.

Reacting, the president of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Abdulwahed Omar, said: “This is very good news. It is indeed the best news I want to hear. We have just sent a letter to the president yesterday (Monday), seeking an audience with him and the issue we intend to discuss with him is the issue of minimum wage. That is very good news, we will make a public statement to commend him.”