A bill prescribing punishment for non-payment and late payment of salaries, wages and pensions in the country did not pass second reading at the House of Representatives on Wednesday.
This was because the members resolved that rather than continue as a fresh bill, it should be adjusted and made to seek amendment to existing Minimum Wage Law.
Sponsor of the bill, Rep. Femi Gbajabiamila, was therefore advised to withdraw the bill, effect the amendment and represent it for consideration.
Earlier, Gbajabiamila, who is Majority Leader of the House, had while leading debate on the bill, said that it was initiated following the preponderance of cases of employers owing workers salary for many months across the country.
He said that the bill was for every employer of labour in Nigeria, whether private or public to ensure that all payment of wages, salaries, pension and all benefits to workers were made promptly.
He argued that the non-payment or delay in the payment of workers’ salaries and emoluments was an infringement on their rights as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution.
Gbajabiamila said that evidence of workers owed salaries by different organisations abound in the country.
According to him, if we must fight corruption, workers’ salaries must be paid promptly because a worker deserves his wages.
He stated that by the provision of the bill, “an employer shall not hold on to the salary, wage, pension and any other benefit and emolument of any workman for a period of seven days and above from the day the payment falls due”.
The House Leader added that the bill also “provides that an employer is prohibited from entering into any contract with any workman for any deduction from the sum contracted to be paid by the employer to the workman’’.
The bill outlined punishment for breaches on the wage law.
However, Rep. Linus Okorie (PDP-Ebonyi) expressed doubt if the National Assembly had powers to legislate on punishment for non-payment or late payment of salaries.
On his part, Chairman of Committee on Rules and Business, Rep. Orker Jev, stated that since there a minimum wage Act, the bill could only come in form of an amendment to it.
Rep. Edward Pwajok (PDP-Plateau) and Rep. Aminu Shagari (APC-Sokoto) adopted the position of Jev.
Consequently, Speaker Yakubu Dogara advised Gbajabiamila to take a second look at the bill “and rework it into an amendment and return it for consideration’’.
