It has been stated by Senate President Godswill Akpabio that the recently approved minimum wage is applicable to all workers within both the public and private sectors, encompassing maids and other domestic staff.
This declaration was made during the plenary session held on Tuesday.
The bill swiftly went through the National Assembly chambers right after it was forwarded by President Bola Tinubu.
In his remarks at the plenary, the Senate President highlighted, “If you are a tailor who hires additional help, you must ensure they receive no less than N70,000. Similarly, if you are a new mother looking to hire a housemaid to care for your child, the wage cannot be below the approved minimum. It is not a ceiling on wages, but a standard that applies across the board.
“If you engage a driver or a gatekeeper, the minimum wage must be N70,000. I am pleased that this has been approved, and we anticipate employers enhancing the benchmark set for everyone to abide by.
“I commend the Nigeria Labour Congress, all Nigerians, and the National Assembly for this historic legislation, which has not only reduced the negotiation term from five to three years in light of the escalating cost of living. This truly marks a significant legislative development, so congratulations.”
The sitting was adjourned to 17 September.
NewsNow has reported that the Senate passed the 2024 National Minimum Wage Amendment Act Bill subsequent to President Bola Tinubu presenting the new wage bill to both houses of the National Assembly, seeking prompt support for its endorsement.
The new bill supersedes the National Minimum Wage Act, No. 8, 2019, which endorsed a N30,000 minimum wage with a five-year negotiation period. The review interval for the new wage has now been reduced to three years post the legislation on Tuesday.
During a debate on the bill, the Senate Majority Leader, Opeyemi Bamidele, mentioned that the N70,000 figure had been universally agreed upon after negotiations.
“This forms part of the Federal Government’s short-term strategy to alleviate the situation in the country,” expressed Bamidele.