The N27,000 National Minimum Wage Amendment Bill which was approved during the recent meeting of National Council of State has passed the first and second reading at the Senate chamber.

The lawmakers passed the bill on Thursday during plenary. Following the suspension of the Senate rules, the Bill was put through first and second reading simultaneously.

The lawmakers practically supported the bill and were confident that it would improve the standard of living for workers in the country.

They however called on the state governments to look inwards on how to actualise the new minimum wage by cutting frivolous expenses and improving revenue generation.

Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over the plenary, disclosed that the minimum wage proposal sent to the National Assembly was N27,000 for both Federal and state workers.

He equally faulted the part of the proposal which exempted organisations which employ less than 25 people from paying the new minimum wage.

He lamented that the exemption would exclude many low-income earners who work in small organisations from benefitting from the new minimum wage.

Meanwhile, the Nigeria Labour Congress has rejected the N27,000. It insists on N30,000 for all workers.