The Federal Government has issued a stern warning to private-sector employers who fail to comply with the new minimum wage of N70,000.
Alhaji Ismaila Abubakar, Permanent Secretary of the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, delivered this message on Wednesday in Lagos during the 13th Annual General Meeting of the Employers Association for Private Employment Agencies of Nigeria.
Represented by John Nyamali, Director of Employment and Wages at the ministry, Abubakar emphasized that the minimum wage is now a legal requirement.
“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,” he said.
Abubakar further instructed private employment agencies to ensure that their contracts stipulate compliance with the minimum wage.
“The least paid worker in Nigeria should earn N70,000, and I think that should be after all deductions”.
“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″, he added.
