Nigeria: National Assembly Passes N70,000 New Minimum Wage Bill

Vanguard
Minimum wage.
23 July 2024
Premium Times (Abuja)
By Abdulqudus Ogundapo and Bakare Majeed

President Bola Tinubu transmitted the bill to both chambers of the National Assembly on Tuesday.

The Senate on Tuesday passed the new National Minimum Wage Bill to empower Nigerian workers to earn at least N70,000 on a monthly basis.

In the House of Representatives, the bill scaled second reading.

The executive bill seeks to amend the minimum wage from N30,000 to N70,000 and reduce the review period from five years to three years.

President Bola Tinubu had earlier today transmitted the New minimum wage bill to both chambers of the National Assembly on Tuesday, seeking expeditious support of the lawmakers for its passage.

The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, announced passage of the bill during the plenary after the senators supported it.

The President Tinubu's letter containing details of the minimum wage bill was first read by Mr Akpabio.

Thereafter, the Senate Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, moved a motion to refer the bill to the Committee of the Whole for immediate consideration of the bill clause by clause.

The motion was subsequently seconded by the Minority Leader, Abba Moro.

The senate president then directed members of the upper chamber to refer it to the Committee of the Whole for consideration.

At the committee, none of the senators debated or spoke on the bill before the clause by clause was approved.

After approving the bill clause by clause, the senate president put the passage to vote and the senators supported it through voice votes.

In the House, the Majority Leader of the House, Julius Ihonvbere, led the debate on the bill.

Borno South Senator, Ali Ndume, had recently criticised the new N70,000 minimum wage.

Mr Ndume, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the president, said the approved minimum wage cannot sustain a household because it can only buy 50kg of rice.

The senator based his argument on the fact that many Nigerians are hungry and angry towards the government because of the harsh economy.

He advised the president to review the minimum wage in the interest of Nigerian workers.

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