The Federal Government has issued a directive to private sector recruitment agencies, emphasizing strict adherence to the newly established N70,000 minimum wage.
According to The PUNCH, this move is intended to align with the current economic conditions and ensure that no Nigerian worker, whether employed by the government or the private sector, earns less than this set amount.
During the 13th Annual General Meeting of the Employers Association for Private Employment Agencies of Nigeria in Ikeja, Lagos, Kachollom Daju, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Labour and Employment, underscored the importance of compliance.
Represented by John Nyamali, Director of Employment and Wages, Daju stated, “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.”
Daju further stressed that private employment agencies must include this wage floor in all contracts with their clients.
“The least paid worker in Nigeria should earn N70,000, and I think that should be after all deductions,” he noted, adding, “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.”
President of EAPEAN, Dr. Olufemi Ogunlowo, raised concerns about the ambiguity surrounding whether the N70,000 minimum wage is meant to be net or gross.
He called for clarification from both the government and the Nigeria Labour Congress to resolve any uncertainties.
“The government must clarify whether the N70,000 minimum wage is net or gross. The government and NLC should address all ambiguities in the minimum wage,” Ogunlowo said.
In support of the new wage policy, Okoye of EAPEAN emphasized the association’s commitment to enforcing the minimum wage and ensuring fair employment practices.
“As a labour union in the private sector, we are committed to the implementation of the minimum wage. We are a law-abiding and guided association. Our principals and clients have also keyed into the minimum wage,” he affirmed.
Chairperson of the NLC Lagos State chapter, Funmilayo Sessi, acknowledged the economic challenges faced by workers and insisted on the urgency of the new wage standard.
“The N70,000 isn’t enough in the current economic realities. By the time the consequential adjustment is concluded, all private employment agencies should immediately start paying their workers the N70,000 minimum wage,” Sessi stated. She also warned against potential conflicts between the NLC and EAPEAN, emphasizing the need for compliance.
“The NLC in Lagos State will see to the strict enforcement of the minimum wage. EAPEAN should avoid confrontation with the NLC on the minimum wage,” she added.
