NASS’ Work On Minimum Wage Bill Excites Buhari

President Muhammadu Buhari has commended the National Assembly for its speedy handling of the N27,000 National Minimum Wage Amendment Bill currently before the lawmakers.

With their promise of an expeditious passage, the bill has already passed through the second reading in the Senate, prompting Mr President to shower praises on the lawmakers.

The bill went through first and second reading simultaneously on Thursday at the plenary following the suspension of the Senate rules.

President Buhari lauded both chambers for the expeditious attention being given the minimum wage bill.

Senior Special Assistants on National Assembly Matters to the President, Senator Ita Enang and Hon. Umar El-Yakub, delivered the President’s message while addressing journalists at the Assembly complex on Thursday.

El-Yakub, who recently took over from Hon Abdulrahman Kawu Sumaila as SSA (House of Representatives) to the President, said Buhari was delighted with both chambers for their speedy and prompt consideration of the bill.

According to him, the President commends the leadership and members of the National Assembly for the expeditious reading of the minimum wage bill.

“It shows the lawmakers are ready to work with President Buhari; and it is also a show of concern for the wellbeing of Nigerians,” he said.

He therefore pledged to work with the NASS leadership to ensure cordiality between the legislature and executive arms of government.

Also speaking, Senator Ita-Enang said the lawmakers’ action was a ‘demonstration’ of their faith in the government of President Muhammadu Buhari

At the plenary presided over by Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, the Senators supported the bill and were confident that it would improve the living standard of Nigerian workers.

They urged the 36 State governments to look inwards and work on actualizing the new minimum wage, especially by reducing the cost of governance, shunning frivolous expenses and improving their Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).

The Deputy Senate president said that contrary to reports, the minimum wage proposal sent to the National Assembly was N27,000 for both Federal and state workers.

Senator Ekweremadu, however, faulted part of the proposal exempting organisations that employ less than 25 people from paying the new minimum wage.

He said such exemption would exclude many low-income earners, working in small organizations, from reaping benefits of the new minimum wage.

“If this does not affect these people, it means a whole number of people will be left outside the minimum wage and that is not right.

“In most countries, the minimum wage applies to all workers, regardless of the number of people in an establishment.”

However, he is hopeful that the issue of those not captured in the minimum wage would be addressed by its ad-hoc committee chaired by Senator Olusola Adeyeye.

Others in the committee are senators Abu Ibrahim, Shehu Sani, Sam Egwu, Suleiman Adokwe, Francis Alimikhena, and Binta Garba. The committee was asked to report to the Senate within two weeks.

In his comments, the Senate Leader, Ahmed Lawan moved for expeditious passage of the bill because of its importance.

He asked the Senate to suspend its rules and pass the bill through first and second reading immediately.

“Let me congratulate the Federal Government, the 36 states of Nigeria and stakeholders on this Bill for the increase of the minimum wage from N18,000 to N27,000.

“Our Civil Servants will be excited about this. It may not be all they hoped, but it is still an improved situation. Nigeria cannot develop without the help of our civil servants”, he said

The Senate agreed to his request and the lawmakers debated the minimum wage bill in the chamber. – NAN