Don’t Stop Paying Wage Award Because Of ₦70,000 New Minimum Wage

The organized labour has urged the government not to stop paying the ₦35,000 wage award to workers when the ₦70,000 new minimum wage becomes effective.

The Lagos State Chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) made the appeal in a position made known on Friday by its chairman, Funmi Sessi.

The NLC chieftain explained that the wage award is different from the minimum wage while reacting to a statement from a certain commission that the state was already paying more than ₦70,000 prescribed minimum wage to its employees.

Sessi also called on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to constitute a wage committee to look into the immediate implementation of the ₦70,000 to all categories of public servants in the state.

“NLC commends the state Governor Sanwo-Olu for his commitment to the welfare of workers as evident in the state being the first to implement the N35,000 wage award palliative to public servants in the nation.

“Alluding to the N35,000 palliative wage award as part of the calculated earned income in the state is not the true situation since the wage award does not reflect on the allowances,” the NLC said.

The union also appealed to employers of labour in the private sector to adhere to the provisions of the law guiding the approved new minimum wage in the country by prioritizing the welfare of its workers.

“Government agencies that are saddled with the responsibility to ensure compliance should be proactive and ensure fearlessness to all concerned,” the union noted.