Implementation of Minimum Wage and Dwindling Well-Being of Workers' in Imo State Civil Service, Nigeria

Abstract

The contention on minimum wage over the years was premised on low standard of living and how to improve the worker's living standard. It was worthy of note that by the Minimum Wage Act (2000), Imo State Government paid N6, 500 minimum wage. In an apparent realization that civil servants could no longer survive on what they earned given the economic situation, minimum wage was increased to N20, 000 based on Minimum Wage Act (2011). Although Imo State Government is paying minimum wage of N20, 000 above the benchmark of (N18, 000) fixed by the Federal Government, that could not meet the cost of providing the basic needs of workers'. The aim of this paper was to assess the effects of the implementation of minimum wage on the dwindling well-being of workers' in the Imo state civil service, Nigeria. The paper recommends provision of houses, free medical bills, vehicle loans by the Government, price regulation on commodities and school feeding programme.