Labour and Employment Minister Chris Ngige has said that the implementation of the minimum wage should start immediately by the state governments followed by all employers of labor.
The Minister gave the warning while speaking journalists on Sunday.
He said, “Any state government that has not started implementation of the new minimum wage is now owing workers especially if they have not started paying N30, 000. They are owing workers effective from 18th of April, the new minimum wage.”
“Any state that does percentage increase will put itself in a disadvantaged position as it will not be able to pay.”
Ngige said with the signing of the new minimum wage bill into law by the President, the new wage now takes effect from the April 18, 2019, adding that “any employer of labour that has not commenced the payment is already owing workers arrears of the new wage.”
He continued that; “The minimum wage was one of the products of the technical committee that worked on the palliatives as a result of the increase in pump price of PMS.
“We were the anchor ministry and I led the government delegation comprising about seven ministers, the National Salaries and Wages Commission and the state government.”
“We are now in a committee working out a new template with which we will adjust the consequential adjustment upstairs for those already earning above N30, 000.”
