NASS Backs  New  MinimumWage 

Both chambers of the National Assembly have assured Nigerians of  their readiness to endorse an  upward review of the N18,000 ( $50) minimum wage paid  Nigerian workers since July 2010.
The assurance  came from Chairmen of both chambers’ standing Committees on Labour, Employment  and Productivity , Senator Suleiman Nazif and Hon Onyewuchi Ezenwa respectively last Saturday when they  played host to  leadership of the International Labour Organisation ( ILO) .
At the interactive session  with the ILO offocials,  Nazif and Ezenwa disclosed that as a way of providing for Nigerian workers a living wage a bill seeking for  review of the Nigeria Minimum Wage Act , has already passed second reading  in the House of Representatives , waiting for a public hearing to be conducted soonest where all stakeholders would make inputs .
Specifically , Hon Ezenwa in his submission on the bill said the effort of the National Assembly on the upward review of the minimum wage through amendment of the existing act arose out of the fact that  the N18, 000 minimum wage is poverty nourishing and unrealistic considering the prevailing  inflation as well as economic state of the country  .
His words “Though a tripartite committee has been set up by the executive for that purpose , but as representatives of the people, we are making moves ahead of what the committee will send to us .
“ The least paid  Nigerian workers as far as the National Assembly is concerned, urgently deserved a living wage as against the poverty nourishing one ($50) per month ,   they have been collecting within the last eight years
“ Whatever decision the House arrived at on the amendment bill would be forwarded to Senate for concurrence “, he said.

Nneka Amaechi-Nnadi