Jonathan will assent minimum wage bill immediately -Wogu

THE Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu has assured Nigerian workers that President Goodluck Jonathan will assent and ensure the implement action of the New National Minimum Wage Act, recently passed as soon as it is presented for the assent of the President by the National Assembly.In a statement signed by Assistant Director, Press, Ministry of Labour, Prince Samuel Olowookere, the minister assured the Nigerian workers that the Federal Government would implement the new wage structure as it had already started paying the Salary Relativity in the Federal Civil Service, which had relatively made it easy to pay the N18, 000 new minimum wage.The minister said what was only needed to be done was just to adjust when the New National Minimum Wage became operative.I want to mention that this administration is labour-friendly and that has been depicted by the fact that Mr. President did not hesitate to sign the Employee Compensation Act into law and will not again hesitate to assent the Bill that has been passed by the National assembly when presented. He will assent to it to become law and would implement it, he assured.The minister added: It has been confirmed by the Chairman, House Committee on Labour that the New National Minimum Wage Bill has been passed by both Chambers of the National Assembly; what remains now is for it to be presented before Mr. President for him to assent. As I speak to you, I dont think such a bill has been presented.The Minister commended the Organized Labour and all labour unions for their cooperation and adherence to the rule of tripartism.He appealed to the unions to allow all necessary procedures to take its course as President Jonathan initiated the New National Minimum Wage and in his characteristic manner see to its implementation.I therefore appeal to all Organized Labour Unions to further embrace the spirit of tripartism as procedures have to be followed so that we dont put the cart before the horse, and you might equally recall that the bill is an Executive Bill, it came from us and it has been passed by the National Assembly, it has to come back to us and it will be assented and implemented, the minister said.
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