Barring any unforeseen circumstances, the Federal Government has assured Nigerian workers that they would begin to enjoy a new national minimum wage latest by end of September 2018.

Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, gave the assurance at the commemoration of NLC @40 in Abuja on Monday.

He said there was no need for workers to continue to agitate over increment in their take home pay because by the third quarter of this year a new minimum wage would be announced for the country.

“In furtherance to the determination by the Federal Government to attain the decent work agenda which involves opportunities for work that are productive and deliver a fair income, security in the workplace, and social protection for families, there have been overtime three minimum wage reviews and currently the tripartite committee of National Minimum Wage is set to review the current minimum wage.

“Memoranda are being received from relevant bodies and persons to enable the determination of the minimum wage for the nation, so by third quarter a new minimum wage would be announce for the country.

“It is better late than never, third quarter is the maximum time that workers in the country would begin to enjoy the new minimum wage,” he said.

President of NLC, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, in his remarks, noted that it has never been a smooth ride whenever workers demand for review in their emoluments, emphasising that any attempt to slow down the process will be resisted by the movement.

“Having attempted to outline the desirability and the inevitability of reviewing the national minimum wage in our country, it may suffice to also inform you that the legitimate demand for the review of the current N18,000 minimum wage is borne out of the current reality of higher cost of living, free fall of the naira, and high cost of goods and services.

“Let me use this medium to serve notice to those who seek to slow down or frustrate the process of review that they will be resisted in like manner as our predecessors did.

“Let the spirit of Apena Cemetery and the compelling wisdom that guided the leaders during both Adeba and Udoji wage review be our road map,” the labour leader said.

Commenting on the spate of insecurity in the country, Wabba said government must explore measures to quickly rescue the over 100 secondary school girls in Dapchi including the remaining Chibok girls. (Independent)

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