ABUJA – The National Council of State rose from its meeting in Abuja, on Tuesday, approving N27,000 as the new national minimum wage.
However, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, disclosed that the Federal Government will pay workers N30,000.
Consequently, the Executive will now send a national minimum wage bill to the national assembly for passage into law.
According to Ngige, the states are also free to top the N27,000 as they deem fit.
The Council, also set N27,000 as the new minimum wage that the private sector must pay.
Prompt News Online recalls that a Tripartite Committee on Review of National Minimum Wage chaired by a former Head of Service, Ms Ama Pepple, had recommended N30,000 as the minimum wage.
However, state governors had insisted on N22,500 minimum wage, saying they could afford to pay N30,000.
The Council meeting chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari, was attended by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and Senate President Bukola Saraki.
Former Presidents and Heads of State in attendance were Olusegun Obasanjo, Goodluck Jonathan, Abdulsalami Abubakar, and Ernest Shonekan as well as state governors.
