Labour and Employment Minister Chris Ngige yesterday rekindled hope of a new minimum wage in the country.

He said that Federal Executive Council (FEC) is set to  review the report of the joint committee on National Minimum Wage at its next meeting on Wednesday.

Ngige told newsmen in Abuja that the 16-man Technical Committee on Minimum Wage and Palliatives had submitted its report to the main committee, headed by Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

“This report was adopted just last week by the 29-man joint committee.

“So the report is now being taken to Federal Executive Council (FEC) for approval next week and then the Acting President will constitute a National Minimum Wage Review Committee.

“This National Minimum Wage Review Committee will then fix a new minimum wage for the country.

“It has become imperative for a new minimum wage, because the last minimum wage has a life span of five years – it was signed into law by President Goodluck Jonathan- and it elapsed by Aug. 2016,” he said.

The minister stressed that since the issue of minimum wage was a Constitutional issue, all stakeholders would be involved in the final discussions.

“So it is a law that it would have a national application for those in the private sector and in the public sector.

“So the implementation of the national minimum wage is not only for the Federal Government alone,” he added.

Ngige said the private sector, employers of labour, government and governors, among others would be involved in the discussion.

“We must all sit together and come out with an acceptable agreement,” he said.

Meanwhile, the minister said the N-power portal for recruitment of unemployed graduates would be reopened on May 29, when the second phase of the social security net would commence.

The Nation