Workers’ controversial new minimum wage bill may wait for two more weeks in the Senate.
The House of Representatives had, before it went on election break, passed N30, 000 minimum wage for workers following the proposal by the Federal Government.
The Chairman of the Senate ad-hoc committee assigned to conduct public hearing on the proposed new minimum wage Bill, Senator Olusola Adeyeye, gave the hint that the Bill might be considered next week.
National Assembly postponement of the resumption of plenary session to February 26, 2019 is also seen as an indication that consideration of the minimum wage Bill will wait.
Responding to a question on how far his committee had gone on the new minimum wage assignment, Senator Adeyeye said that it had been difficult for him to rally members of his committee apparently due to electioneering activities.
The Senate gave the committee the assignment on January 24th, 2019 same day, it adjourned plenary session for the elections.
The Osun central senator noted that it had been difficult to get the seven- member committee to sit.
He said: “The Committee will definitely meet on Tuesday (19th February) if plenary session reconvenes on that day.
“However, if plenary session does not reconvene because of the postponement of the election, the Committee will be meeting early next week.”
Members of the committee include Emmanuel Adokwe (PDP Nasarawa South); Sam Egwu (PDP Ebonyi North) and Shehu Sani (PRP Kaduna Central).
Others are the Deputy Whip Senator Francis Alimikhena ( APC Edo North); Adeola Olamilekan ( APC Lagos West); Binta Masi Garba ( APC Adamawa North ) and Chairman, Senate Committee on Labour and Productivity Abu Ibrahim (APC Katsina South ).
The upper chamber can only pass the Bill when the report of the ad-hoc committee is presented, considered and adopted.
Credit: thenationonlineng.net
