The House of Representatives has passed the new Minimum Wage Bill which will enforce N18, 000 as the least paid wage nationwide, while recommending a paltry N20,000 as penalty for defaulting employers.

The bill was sent to the National Assembly by President Goodluck Jonathan late last year and is now central to the president's effort at securing wide support from public and private sector workers for his re-elections.

The lawmakers had earlier named the bill as one of the few that will be given accelerated attention as they resumed January.

They adopted the recommendations of the House joint Committee on Labour, Employment and Productivity, and Finance on the law, before allowing the bill through a mandatory third and final reading Wednesday.

The bill was passed two weeks ago by the Senate, and now requires only the presidential assent to become law.

However, there are doubts whether or not some state governors will pay the new amount.

The House committees recommends that any employer that fails will pay N20,000 on conviction and extra N1,000 daily as long as the breach continues. It is not clear whether the amount will be paid to the employees.

Employers of labour in respect of which the law apply shall also have the duty to keep records of wages or conditions of employment to show compliance with the law or to face the same penalties.

Source: http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/News/Metro/Politics/5681065-146/story.csp

Did these guys just woke up

Na now day break

ain't suprised cos d president infact was left with patently no option at all, assent to the bill or risk the april elections ever taking place, lol,

What on earth is happening, this is interesting. In this year alone the house of rep has passed Petroleum Industry Bill, Freedom of information bill, and now minimum wage bill? Have they just woken up? This is encouraging, but I will hold my breath till these laws are passed by the senate and signed by the president.