“Show more commitment to justify your pay,” Buhari charges civil servants

The news of signing minimum wage bill into law by President Muhammadu Buhari came as good tidings to civil and public servants in the country, even as Mr. President charged Nigerian workers to justify their N30,000 pay by showing more commitment to work.

The President stated this shortly after signing the national minimum into law in Abuja on Thursday. He also enjoined the Nigeria Labour Congress NLC to show more understanding of the current socio-economic situations in the country.

He said: “I expect them (workers) to be more committed to their work at whichever level. I will like the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to look at the economic situation of the country, the population, the poor infrastructure that we are trying to fix in terms of roads, rail and power. So, I wish Nigerian workers the best of luck.”

The Vanguard reports had it that, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters, Sen. Ita Enang, had earlier told State House correspondents in Abuja that the implementation of the N30, 000 minimum wage just signed into law by President Buhari would take effect from April 18.

 According to Ita Enang, the bill now makes it mandatory for employers of labour in both public and private organisations to pay N30, 000 as minimum wage.

“You can see me smiling on behalf of Nigerian workers. President Muhammadu Buhari has assented to the Minimum Wage Repel and Enactment Act, 2019. “This makes it compulsory for all employers of labour in Nigeria to pay to their workers the sum of N30, 000.

“This excludes persons who are employing less than 25 workers, persons who work in a ship which sails out of the jurisdiction and other persons who are in other kinds of regulated employment which are accepted by the Act.

“It also gives workers the right, if you are compelled by any circumstance to accepting a salary that is less than N30, 000, to sue your employer to recover the balance. It also authorises the minister of labour and any person nominated by the minister or any person designated by the minister of labour in any ministry, department or agency to on your behalf, take action in your name against such employer to recover the balance of your wages,” he said.

According to the presidential aide, the bill ensures and mandates the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission and the minister of labour, to be the chief and principal enforcers of the provisions of this law. “This law applies to all agencies, persons and bodies throughout the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

Enang enjoined Nigerian workers to continue to support the president and his administration’s policies in return for the gesture.

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