Reps To Cause Review Of Minimum Wage Every 5 Years
The House of Representatives, Tuesday, moved the process of making the review of the National Minimum Wage a periodic exercise of every five years.
Consequently, the bill to amend the National Minimum Wage Act passed through second reading, yesterday.
Leading the debate on the general principles of the bill during plenary, House Majority Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila (APC, Lagos) said the bill sought to provide for periodic review of the national minimum wage every five years.
Gbajabiamila, who blamed the continuous clamour for increased minimum wage by workers across the country on inflation, described salary as a major component of workers’ welfare, adding that there was the need for a law to compel the Federal Government to effect a review.
He said: “The minimum wage shall be subject to periodic review every five years and the first review shall be effective from January 1, 2017 irrespective of the day the bill comes into force.”
Supporting the amendment in his contribution to the debate, Rotimi Agunsoye, said the current minimum wage was inadequate for the survival of the average Nigerian worker.
Agunsoye warned that failure to review the minimum wage in the face of ever increasing inflation and high cost of living could lead to increased corruption among workers.
