President Muhammadu Buhari (image courtesy State House)
The implementation of the new National Minimum Wage signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari has been hit by some bottlenecks.
Officials of some state governments told PUNCH that they had yet to receive the documents containing the implementation guidelines from the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, almost 10 days after the wage bill was signed into law.
The development is said to be hindering the commencement of negotiations between officials of state governments and the organised labour in the various states.
However, the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission had on Thursday said it was still awaiting the Presidency to release a copy of the Act to enable it to prepare the memo for state governments.
When contacted, the Chief Press Secretary, National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission, Mr Emma Njoku, confirmed that a signed copy of the Act was still being expected by the commission.
He said once the new minimum wage act was received from the presidency, the commission would issue a circular for the implementation of the new minimum wage.
He said, “We are expecting the presidency to send us a signed version of the new minimum wage Act. As soon as we get it, we will issue the circular for its implementation.”
But, when contacted, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Garba Shehu, told Saturday PUNCH that what was most important was that Buhari had directed that the implementation of the new wage should start from April.
When also contacted, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enang, said, “I will not speak on it. If there is anything on their part (NSIWC), they should contact the Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation or the appropriate agency of government.”
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