The Federal Government has tasked private firms and companies on implementing the N70,000 new minimum wage, News About Nigeria reports.
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Alhaji Ismaila Abubakar, disclosed this while speaking at the 13th Annual General Meeting of the Employers Association for Private Employment Agencies of Nigeria, held in Ikeja, Lagos, on Wednesday.
He charged private companies to adhere to the new minimum wage law, noting that failure to comply, could lead to jail term for private employers.
He stated that it is the intent of the federal government that the least paid worker, makes at least N70,000 in salary or wage.
Abubakar, who was represented by the Director of Employment and Wages of the ministry, John Nyamali, maintained that the minimum wage is now a law and therefore comes with consequences for defaulters of the law.
He stated, “The minimum wage is a law, and you can be jailed if you fail to implement it. The Federal Government is committed to ensuring that the least paid worker goes home with N70,000.
“The minimum wage is now a law, and as a result, it is a punishable crime for any employer to pay less than N70,000 to any of its workers.
“The private employment agencies should make it compulsory in any contract they take from their principal that their workers should not earn less than the minimum wage. The least paid worker in Nigeria should earn N70,000, and I think that should be after all deductions.”
