TheCable

The senate has passed the bill raising the national minimum wage to N30,000.

The upper legislative chamber passed the bill after adopting the report of its ad hoc committee on the national minimum wage at plenary on Tuesday.

The house of representatives had last year passed the bill which also pegged the minimum wage for both federal and state workers at N30,000.

President Muhammadu Buhari sent the wage bill for consideration after the national council of state approved it.

The council had approved N27,000 while the federal government said it would increase it to N30,000 for its workers.

But the tripartite  committee earlier set up by the federal government had approved N30,000 for both federal and state workers.

Speaking on the passage of the bill, Senate President Bukola Saraki expressed hope that it will boost the productivity of Nigerian workers.

“Let me join our colleagues to commend the efforts of the committee. More importantly, let me commend the patience of Nigerian workers and the leadership of the labour union, who have over the years been calling for this minimum wage and have carried their efforts responsibly,” he said.

“I want to commend the leaders of the organisations of the union. Let me also state that as government, we should ensure that at times like these, we should not wait for there to be strikes to do what is truly deserving for our workers.”

Ahmad Lawan, senate leader, said workers must not be allowed to go on strike before the necessary action is taken.

He said: “The Nigerian workers must show that the government is paying them and they are paying the government in service.”

Biodun Olujimi, senator representing Ekiti south, said the lawmakers have given the people a minimum wage but “it is not worth it if the states are unable to pay the minimum wage.”

The two versions of the bills passed by the two legislative chambers will now be harmonised before being transmitted to Buhari for assent.