Reps work towards having minimum wage reviewed every 5 years

The House of Representatives on Tuesday passed for second reading, a bill that sought to ensure that the National Minimum wage is reviewed every 5 years.“A bill for an Act to amend the National Minimum Wage Act, Cap. N61, laws of the federation of Nigeria, 2004 to make provisions for periodic review of the National Minimum Wage every 5 years and for other related matters (HB. 1028),”  was sponsored by the Majority Leader, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila.”ŽHon. Gbajabiamila, while leading the debate on the bill said:  “provided that the minimum wage in sub-section 1 of this section shall be subject to periodic review every 5 years and the first review shall be effective from the 1st day of January, 2017 irrespective of the day the Bill comes into force.”“The Minister may by order published in the Federal Gazette review the minimum wage any time before 5 years from the day of last review in the event of some supervening circumstances in the interest of the national economy and Nigerian workers,” an amendment to Section 2 of the Principal Act, inserted immediately after sub-section 2 (a new sub-section3).“Provided that in the event that this sub-section is activated by the Minister, the next periodic review contemplated under section 1 shall be 5 years after the review under this sub-section,” Gbajabialmila further read.He added that, as of today there is no law that compels government to review salaries, making the review at the mercy of the government. This, he said, was not the case in other countries like the UK, Canada and the rest, where a law mandating the review of salaries existed.“You cannot say you want to stamp out corruption and not give the people the livable wage to take care of their family,” he further said.The bill was supported by Nkiruka Onyeojeocha and Toby Okechukwu.