ABIDJAN: The Ivorian government announced Wednesday it would raise the minimum wage by more than 60 percent after 19 years at the same level.
"This decision... will ease the burden on workers who have been hit far too hard by price rises," said government spokeswoman Affoussiata Bamba.
The minimum monthly wage was fixed at 36,600 CFA Francs (55 euros, $75), and will rise to 60,000 CFA Francs (90 euros, $120) for the first time since 1994, when the CFA currency was devalued by half, according to a labour department document seen by AFP.
A political accord to raise the threshold was agreed in 2009 but was not put into force.
The 61-percent increase is not expected to have a great impact on workers' wages as so few are paid the minimum, which is far from enough to live on in Ivory Coast.
But as one of the most expensive places to live in west Africa, the measure was none the less welcomed by the president of Ivory Coast's consumer rights federation, Doukoua Gode.
"It's good news. This raise will allow consumers to have some purchasing power," Gode said.
The rate had remained static "and meanwhile the price of bread has doubled," he said.
The increase will not apply to Ivory Coast's army of black market labourers.
"The problem is that employees risk confusing the minimum wage with all salaries. If I have to raise the wages of everyone by 60 percent, I will close my shop," said one businessman.
In 2012, Ivory Coast's growth rate was 9.8 percent and is expected to hold at 8.7 percent in 2013, evidence of a strong showing in the years immediately following post-electoral violence that shook the nation in 2010-2011.
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