JUST IN: Buhari constitutes new minimum wage committee

President Muhammadu Buhari has named the Managing Director of the Financial Derivatives Company, Bismarck Rewane as the chairman of the 24-man Presidential Advisory Committee on the New Minimum Wage. 

The Director General of the Budget office , Ben Akabueze is to serve as the secretary of the committee.  The panel is given a month to submit its report on the new minimum wage.

Members of the committee selected from the private sector are former Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS), Mrs. Ifueko Omoigui-Okauru, Sulieman Barau, Dr Ayo Teriba, and Prof. Akpan Ekpo.

Those selected from government institutions are Chairman of FIRS, Dr Babatunde Fowler, a representative of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), Chairman of the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission; Richard Egbule, Permanent Secretary, Service Welfare Office of the Head of Service of the Federation; Mrs. Didi Walson-Jack, Permanent Secretary of General Service Office, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation; Olusegun Adekunle, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Finance; Dr. Mahmoud Isa-Dutse, Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Budget and National Planning; Olajide Odewale, Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Labour; Mrs. Ibukun Odusote, and Solicitor General Of the Federation and Permanent Secretary of ministry of Justice; Mr. Dayo Apata.

Others are Special Adviser to the President on Economic Matters, office of the Vice President; Dr. Adeyemi Dipeolu, Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria; Economic Policy Dr. Joseph Nnanna, Accountant General of the Federation; Ahmed Idris, Director General Debt Management Officer; Ms. Patience Oniaga, Director General National Institute of Social and Economic Research; Dr. Folarin Gbadebo-Smith, Statistician General, National Bureau of Statistics; Dr. Yemi Kale, Mrs. Aisha Hamad, Mamman Garba and Tunde Lawal.

The President mandated the committee to advise the government on how to successfully implement, identify ways to source for revenue and propose a work plan for the implementation of the new minimum wage.

The President had, while presenting this year’s budget proposal to the joint session of the National Assembly last month, said he would set up a technical committee to look into the recommendations of the tripartite committee on minimum wage.

In attendance at the session, were the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, Chief of Staff, Abba Kyari, among others.

The President who said a provision for the new minimum wage has been made in the year’s budget proposal, said he was committed to the upward review of the  minimum wage.