How True Is Akpabio's Statement That Every Employer is To Pay N70k Minimum Wage?

• Nigeria's Senate president, Godswill Akpabio, said the new minimum wage bill stipulates that employers cannot pay their domestic workers such as housemaids, drivers, and gatemen below the N70,000 benchmark
• The former Akwa Ibom state governor stated that all workers across both public and private sectors are expected to benefit from the newly approved minimum wage
• A fact-checking platform probed the statement and shared its findings in a report published on Wednesday, July 24

Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering public journalism in Nigeria.

FCT, Abuja - Senate President Godswill Akpabio recently said that the new national minimum wage "applies to all and sundry".

Akpabio stated that the newly-approved minimum wage of N70,000 applies to all workers across both public and private sectors, including maids and other domestic staff.

Read also

Full list of organisations exempted from paying new N70k minimum wage emerges

He said:

“It is not maximum wage. It applies to all and sundry.

"If you bring in a driver, if you bring in a gateman — you cannot pay that gateman below N70,000. So, I am very delighted that this has been passed."

Verification of Akpabio's claim

Following Akpabio's claim, a fact-checking platform, Cable Check, decided to investigate the statement.

After its scrutiny, the media platform said that based on the national minimum wage act 2019, Akpabio’s claim that any employer who hires a maid or gatekeeper will pay N70,000 minimum wage is false.

The report, quoting the (national minimum wage act 2019), said:

"The law mandates employers with more than 25 workers to pay the minimum wage."

More to read on minimum wage

• Minimum wage: Organised labour announces fresh plans with governors
• Next line of action surfaces as national assembly passes N70,000 minimum wage bill
• “We are going to put it”: Senate seeks inclusion of domestic workers in N70,000 minimum wage

Read also

Minimum wage: Akpabio lists categories of workers entitled to get N70k monthly

Minimum wage: List of exempted organisations

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the 10-man sub-committee of the tripartite committee held that some establishments are not mandated to pay the new national minimum wage.

The committee was tasked with the responsibility of recommending a new national minimum wage for Nigerian workers in the public and private sectors.

Proofreading by James, Ojo Adakole, journalist and copy editor at Legit.ng.

Source: Legit.ng