The Federal Government has said that any employer in the public and private sectors paying below the N70,000 minimum wage would be punished by law.

Alhaji Ismaila Abubakar, the Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, clarified on Wednesday while speaking at the 13th Annual General Meeting of the Employers Association for Private Employment Agencies of Nigeria in Lagos State.

He was represented by the ministry’s Director of Employment and Wages, John Nyamali.

Abubakar said the Federal Government and organised labour agreed on the new minimum wage to address the current economic situation in the country.

He emphasised that all Nigerian workers, both in government and private sectors, are expected to be paid at least N70,000 monthly.

According to him:

“The minimum wage is now a law, and as a result, it is a punishable crime for any employer to pay less than N70,000 to any of its workers.

“The private employment agencies should make it compulsory in any contract they take from their principal that their workers should not earn less than the minimum wage.”