The minimum wage bill will be declared by the end of February, reveals Minister of Economic Development Fayyaz Ismail.

The minister made the announcement via Twitter on Tuesday, stating that the country's first minimum wage will be declared by the end of the month. He further added that the minimum wage declaration has no relation to amendments to the Employment Act.

President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih established the Salary and Wages Advisory Board (SAWAB) was established on International Worker's Day. The report compiled by the board has since been forwarded to parliament.

While the minister has previously stated that the minimum wage will be declared in the parliament's first term of 2020, many members of the public have expressed concern regarding the long delay.

Declaring minimum wage is one of President Solih's electoral pledges. The minimum wage bill was the only pending bill at the end of the parliament's last sitting of 2019.