Minimum wage on course – Buhari

The Federal Government says President Muhammadu Buhari will study the report of review of national minimum wage and present an executive bill on it to the National Assembly.

The report was submitted to President Buhari by the Tripartite Committee on the Review of National Minimum Wage before making his view known to Nigerians.

“Our plan is to transmit the Executive bill to the National Assembly for its passage within the shortest possible time.

“I am fully committed to having a new National Minimum Wage Act in the very near future,’’ Buhari said.

Information and culture minister Lai Mohammed made the clarification when he addressed State House correspondents at the end of the meeting of the Federal Executive Council (FEC), which was presided over by President Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Wednesday.

The Tripartite Committee on the Review of National Minimum Wage chaired by former Head of Service, Ama Pepple, had on Tuesday submitted its report to President Buhari with a recommendation of N30,000 as new National Minimum Wage.

While receiving the Tripartite Committee Report, President Buhari pledged that the Federal Government would soon transmit an Executive Bill (on National Minimum Wage) to the National Assembly for its passage within the shortest possible time.

He said: “Our plan is to transmit the Executive bill to the National Assembly for its passage within the shortest possible time.

“I am fully committed to having a new National Minimum Wage Act in the very near future.’’

To this end, some traditional media outfits and the social media reported that the president had endorsed the Pepple’s recommendation of N30,000 minimum wage.

But, the minister said the president was only in receipt of the recommendations of the Ama Pepple’s Report, and he would consider it before making his views known to the public.

He said: “I think it was a recommendation. So, Mr President will consider it and would make his views known in due course.

“So, like I said recommendations have been made and Mr President would get back to the committee after he has studied the recommendations.’’

It would be recalled that the Presidency had also frowned at the misinterpretation of President Buhari’s remarks when he received the report of the Tripartite Committee on the Review of National Minimum Wage from the committee’s chairman, Ama Pepple, on Tuesday.

It said that the president did not endorse N30,000 as proposed by committee as being reported by some sections of the media.

“But the president’s speech at the event was immediately made available to the media and nowhere indicated that the president endorsed N30,000 Minimum wage,’’ a presidential source maintained.

President Buhari had also expressed delight that the Amal Pepple committee had successfully completed its assignment in a peaceful and non-controversial manner.

“Let me use this opportunity to recognise the leadership of the organised labour and private sector as well as representatives of State and Federal Governments for all your hard work.

“The fact that we are here today, is a notable achievement.

“As the Executive Arm commences its review of your submission, we will continue to engage you all in closing any open areas presented in this report.

“I, therefore, would like to ask for your patience and understanding in the coming weeks.”

The president, however, enjoined the leadership of the labour unions as well as the Nigerian workers to avoid being used as political weapons.

“May I therefore, enjoin workers and their leaders not to allow themselves to be used as political weapons,’’ he said.