THE Special Assistant to Senate President on New Media, Olu Onemola, has said his principal, Bukola Saraki, supports the N30,000 recommended as the country’s minimum wage.

He claimed Saraki was the first legislator to demand the transmission of the minimum wage bill to the National Assembly on time to enable lawmakers act on it before the commencement of the recess by lawmakers.

Onemola, in a statement on Monday, faulted an assertion by a labour leader, Issa Aremu, which alleged that Saraki was against the early passage of the minimum wage bill.

He said Saraki remained committed to the N30,000 minimum wage proposal, stating that the Senate President had, as early as January, called on the executive to hasten the transmission of the minimum wage bill to the National Assembly.

He said the bill would be given prompt attention in the Senate.

Onemola said,  “Saraki is in support of the N30,000 minimum wage proposal and personally he believes that with the process the bill has undergone in the House of Representatives, it is easy for the  Senate to fast-track its passage by simply adopting the House version.

“However, we must be clear about this: the Senate President can only work with the support of his colleagues as he is just first amongst equals and not the chief executive of the Senate.”

Onemola said the role of Saraki as the director-general of the Peoples Democratic Party Campaign Organisation did not conflict with his duties as the Senate President.

“Mr Aremu may have to familiarise himself with the legislative process before releasing such   statements.  Bills are not passed by mere pronouncements or personal wishes of the presiding officer. As such, the Senate President is not a chief executive; he is just the presiding officer.

“Also, there is a legislative process for the passage of the law which cannot be circumvented,” Onemola said. – Punch

– Feb. 19, 2019 @ 8:27 GMT |