The minister of labour and employment, Chris Ngigie, on Monday said the federal government would announce a new minimum wage in September of this year. He made this disclosure in Abuja during the ceremony to mark the 40th anniversary of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC). The minister appealed to workers for more time for the federal government to be able to ensure state governments would comply with the new wages.
"Better late than never because some State governors are still owing and cannot pay the current N18,000 minimum wage to workers, that’s why we are ensuring we bring all stakeholders along and announce the new minimum wage at the appropriate time.“But I can assure you that the third quarter is the maximum time the new minimum wage will be announced,” he said.
Meanwhile, in his address at the occasion, the president of the NLC, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, vowed to take the fight to those who seek to delay the process for the announcement of the improved minimum wage. He said the current wage of N18,000 is no more enough to cater to the current economic realities. He said the value of the money has drastically reduced by such things as the rising cost of living and the free fall of the naira.
"Let me use this medium to serve notice to those who seek to slow down and frustrate the process of review of the national minimum wage that they will be resisted in like manner as our predecessors did.“We are prepared to deal with employers especially governors who deny workers and pensioners their salaries and pensions. Workers and pensioners and their families will not give them any further political support, especially their support,” Wabba said.