The National Council of State has just approved N27, 000 as the new national minimum wage.
The amount was approved at its ongoing meeting in Abuja which has in attendance the former Head of Interim National Government, Ernest Shonekan, Olusegun Obasanjo, Abdulsalami Abubakar, Goodluck Jonathan and presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Others at the meeting on Tuesday include the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Senate President, Bukola Saraki, former CJN Mohammed Uwais.
On his arrival at the Council chamber, Buhari went round to have a handshake with some of the past leaders including Obasanjo
Addressing State House Correspondents after the meeting, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, said the Federal Government will top the approved amount by N3,000 to 30,000 for its workers.
Ngige disclosed that the states are at liberty to augment the new agreement as they see fit.
The N27,000 approved by the Council of State is N3,000 short of the N30,000 the Tripartite Committee on Review of National Minimum Wage recommended.
He said a minimum wage bill will be sent to the National Assembly on Wednesday.
The National Council of State on Tuesday approved the transmission of the National minimum wage bill to the National Assembly
The Minister of Labour Chris Ngige briefed State House correspondents at the end of the Council of State meeting chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Ngige said the proposal will cover employers of labour with minimum of 25 workers.
As the National Assembly is on recess, he said that the concerned committees in the National Assembly will continue work on the bill.
