…gives state seven-day ultimatum to adjust
SEGUN BABATUNDE, Bauchi
The Bauchi State Chapter of the People’s Redemption Party (PRP) has accused the state government of violating the National Minimum Wage Act of 2019, giving the government a seven-day ultimatum to send a Supplementary Appropriation Bill to the State House of Assembly.
This was contained in a press statement jointly signed by the PRP state Chairman, Ahmed Umar Farouk, and the Secretary of the party, Kala Ibrahim, which was read during a press conference at the NUJ Secretariat in Bauchi on Thursday.
According to the release, Governor Bala Mohammed recently signed into law the 2022 Bauchi State Appropriation Act but did not synchronise it with the requirements of the National Minimum Wage Act of 2019.
The party said that Section 3(1) of the National Minimum Wage Act 2019 mandated all employees of labour, including all state governments, to pay a minimum of N30,000 per month to every employee under it’s establishment, pointing out that the Bauchi State Government had not complied with the requirements nor implemented it as required by the Act.
The PRP said, “It will interest you to know that Bauchi State has been running it’s budget since the coming into force of this Act without any appropriation for the minimum wage requirement. This is totally illegal, null and void. One wonders where the Labour leaders are, that pride themselves as the protectors of Nigerian workers. We view their silence as compromise and charge them to wake up to their responsibility before it is too late to cry.
“If the attitude of the union leaders looks more of a compromise, that of the state legislators, who symbolise the difference between democracy and military rule, is the least despicable. These are gentlemen supposedly who are not only closer to the grassroots, but who are the custodians of the constitution. Section 4(6) of the constitution of Nigeria 1999 as amended, vested on them the power to make laws for peace, order and good governance, yet they have woefully failed to make law that is for the advantage of civil servants.”
The party called on other political parties, civil society organisations, religious leaders and the media to join the PRP to ensure that justice is done and to correct the anomaly.