The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, has announced that the new national minimum wage applies to the entire nation, and no Nigerian worker should be paid anything less than ₦70,000.
News360 Info reports that Akpabio made this known during the signing ceremony of the Minimum Wage Act (Amendment) Bill into law by President Bola Tinubu at the State House, Abuja.
He stated that the new national minimum wage applies to every worker in the nation, and the gesture shows that Tinbu cares for Nigerian workers.
He said, “So, I think this is a great day for the workers in the country. We are not only doubling the minimum wage, but we have also added something on top. Initially, it was N30,000; now it is N70,000.
Like I said, this is minimum, not maximum. Any employer that has the capacity can pay as much as they want. But no Nigerian worker will offer services and be paid anything less than N70,000 from today.
That is the implication of this act. It applies all over the nation. And we are excited that this is happening at a time like this through President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a man who cares for Nigerian workers.”
Don’t Allow Those Who Lost 2023 Elections To Use You For Destructive Protests
Meanwhile, Akpabio has urged Nigerians, particularly the youths of the country, to avoid participating in the planned nationwide protest.
Speaking at the State House in Abuja on Monday after President Bola Tinubu signed the new minimum wage bill into law, Akpabio said some faceless persons who lost out in the 2023 elections are the ones trying to instigate people against the government.
According to the Senate President, while peaceful protests are part of the fundamental rights of the citizens, the planned protest could lead to violence which could, in turn, lead to the destruction of property and destabilization of the country.
He submitted that the challenges Nigeria is going through were not caused by the current administration, but the neglect of past governments.
Akpabio said the Tinubu government is working hard at tackling the challenges and should be given more time for its efforts to yield desired results.
He urged Nigerian youth to reject anarchy and work towards developing themselves and their communities rather than engaging in destructive activities.
