For implementation to commence in earnest, Organised Labour and Civil society organisations have called on President Muhammadu Buhari to assent the N30,000 Minimum Wage Bill transmitted by the National Assembly to him over two weeks ago.
Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association, NECA, Trade Union Side, TUS, of the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council, JNPSNC, United Labour Congress of Nigeria, ULC, and umbrella body for pro-labour civil society groups in the country; Joint Action Front, JAF, urged President Buhari to quicken action on the bill by signing it.
Speaking, Timothy Olawale, Director General of NECA, said “We have been made to understand that Presidential assent is not as simple as that and that there are processes the bill has to pass through. In other words, signing is not automatic and that the Presidency needs to compare the one sent to the National Assembly with the one the National Assembly sent to the President for assent.
“Nevertheless, we expect the Presidency to expedite action in whatever due diligence it is doing and not unnecessarily delay the implementation of the minimum wage which the Nigerian workers have been eagerly looking forward to. If there is any gap between what was sent to the National Assembly and what returned to the presidency, the presidency should liaise with the National Assembly as quickly as possible to sort things out. We know it is not just a new bill, but a comprehensive review of the 2001 Act. So, if there is any gap, it should not cause undue delay, it should be sorted out for the presidential assent so that implementation will commence immediately.”
President to sign before May
Also, Joe Ajaero, President of ULC, has said they expect the President to sign it before the May 1, Workers’ Day, adding “We do not know the reason behind Mr President not signing the Bill two weeks after. But we are equally aware that Mr. President has not refused assent. We think we should give Mr. President a benefit of doubt, hoping that Mr. President being not around within this period, he has not really settle to sign it.”
