The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige has said that no Governor can deny its workers the new minimum wage as the provision for such has been taken care of by the federal government through the state.
The Minister made this statement while addressing Journalist on Friday in Abuja; he said when the minimum wage is set for payment arrears will be referenced to take effect from April 18, 2019, as it was the date president Buhari signed the bill into law.
According to the Minister, no State Governor can deny it, workers, the new minimum wage as it has been taken care of by the federal government and by law they are bound to comply.
The Federal government had on 14th May 2019 inaugurated a committee to evaluate the cost implication of the movement of the minimum wage from the old voucher to the new one to be headed by Winifred Oyo-ota, the Head of civil service of the federation.
The Minister revealed, issues of national minimum wage is item 34 on the exclusive legislative list of the third schedule of the Nigerian constitution. He added impliedly, all state government already owes its workers if they have not commenced paying the N30,000. As already the committee is working out the new template.
Ngige disclosed that the private sector workers have already commenced enjoying the N30,000 package.
He added that the delay is due to Government bureaucratic bottleneck; meanwhile, as soon as the procedures are overcome it will be paid with effect from April 18, 2019, as private sectors have already adjusted immediately the law was passed.
