There is growing tension among states yet to implement the N70,000 new minimum wage, following the December 1 strike notice given by the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, to workers in defaulting states to commence the indefinite strike.
As of the end of October, 24
states had yet to start implementation, despite the Federal Government’s
promise to organise labour for it.
It will be recalled that during
the meeting on October 17 in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of
the Federation, SGF, the government promised to summon a meeting of the
economic council to impress governors on implementing the new minimum wage
signed into law by President Bola Tinubu in August.
However, at the end of October,
only 12 of the 36 state governments were implementing the new minimum wage.
The states include Edo,
Anambra, Adamawa, Ogun, Delta, Ebonyi, Abia, Kebbi, Kogi, Borno, Gombe and
Jigawa.
Anambra State, which promised
to implement the minimum wage in October, did not pay but the government, it
was gathered, added N40,000 to staff’s October salaries, pending when the
templates for implementation of the new minimum would be agreed between the government
and organised labour.
While states such as Lagos,
Ondo, Bayelsa, Kano, Niger and Kaduna, have promised to start implementation
this month (November), Osun, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Enugu, and Imo states,
have not given any date to start implementation.
Similarly, Ekiti, Sokoto,
Benue, Bauchi, Plateau, Zamfara, Nasarawa, Taraba, Yobe, and Katsina, have
remained silent on the N70,000 new minimum wage.
Ondo State
In Ondo State, the state
government said implementation of the N73,000 it promised workers will start
this month (November).
Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa, gave
the assurance during during this year’s Public Service week celebration in
Akure, this week.
Aiyedatiwa declared that the
new minimum wage is a settled matter and a testament to his administration’s
focus on improving the quality of life for the state’s workforce.
“Anything we have done for
civil servants has never been politically driven. If workers are not happy,
they won’t be encouraged to put in maximum effort into their work. That is why
we have always prioritised their welfare,’’ he said.
Osun State
Osun State is yet to announce
how much it would pay as new minimum wage in the state.
According to a statement by the
Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Kolapo Alimi, the state
government is still negotiating with labour unions in the state.
He disclosed that the
committee, headed by the governor’s Chief of Staff, Mr Kazeem Akinleye, and
labour leaders in the state, has a mandate to recommend to the government on
consequential adjustment arising from the minimum wage law.
The commissioner added that the
state Minimum Wage Negotiation Committee set up by Governor Ademola Adeleke
will soon complete its assignment for necessary approval by the governor.
He said: “The committee
approved by Governor Ademola Adeleke, has been working assiduously to conclude
the assignment without hitch”.
Ogun State
Though, Ogun State governor,
Prince Dapo Abiodun, has approved N77, 000 as minimum wage for civil servants
in the state, with effect from October, 2024, Vanguard reliably gathered that
the governor reneged on his promise of paying it.
Some of the civil servants who
spoke with Vanguard in Abeokuta, claimed government only added N42,000 to the
salary they were receiving across board.
However, Special Adviser to the
Governor on Media and Strategy, Kayode Akinmade, dismissed the report as a
rumour, insisting that the Secretary to the State Government, Mr. Tokunbo
Talabi, the state’s Head of Service, Mr. Kehinde Onasanya, and all labour
leaders in the state were at the meeting where the N77,000 was agreed on.
Ekiti State
Speaking with Vanguard,
Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, in Ekiti State, Kolapo Joshua, said
members of the committee set up by the state government have met to fashion out
modality for payment of the new minimum wage.
He assured that the state
government would not pay below N70,000 but the government is yet to announce
the figure it will pay.
Oyo State
Similarly, Oyo State Government
approved a minimum wage of N80, 000 for the state workforce.
In a statement by Commissioner
for Information and Orientation, Prince Dotun Oyelade, the Technical Committee
set up by the state government recommended and got approval from Governor Seyi
Makinde for implementation of the new salary scale.
However, no date has been set
for commencement.
According to Prince Oyelade,
the new minimum wage “will be implemented as soon as the consequential
adjustments process is completed by the committee which comprises government
and top labour officials.”
Lagos State
In Lagos, Governor Babajide
Sanwo-Olu said the state would commence payment of N85,000 approved minimum
wage to workers effective from July 29, 2024, with the implementation to
commence in November, 2024.
The chairperson, Lagos State
Public Service Joint Negotiating Council, LSPSJNC, Olusegun Balogun, and
Secretary, Toba Odumosu, disclosed this in a statement jointly signed last
weekend.
South-South
In the South-South, workers
have started receiving the new minimum wage in Edo, and Delta states, out of
the six states in the region.
Edo State, which heralded the
payment after former Governor Godwin Obaseki announced an increase in the
previous N40,000 wage in May 2024, currently pays N70,000 to workers, while the
Delta State government pays N77,500.
The Rivers State government
approved N85,000 minimum wage just as Akwa Ibom State authorized N80,000, but
none has commenced payment.
Bayelsa State Government
announced that the N80,000 minimum wage to workers would take off on November
1.
The Cross River State
government has not announced a new minimum wage for its workers, but officials
said negotiations on the N70,000 minimum wage were ongoing.
Edo State
Edo State outgone Commissioner
for Communication and Orientation, Chris Nehikhare, said the N70,000 minimum
wage to workers was in fulfilment of Obaseki’s pledge when he announced the
increase from N40,000 in May.
Delta State
The Chief Press Secretary to
Delta State Governor, Festus Ahon, told Vanguard that the state government
commenced payment of the new minimum wage in October.
He said: “We are paying
N77,500. We have a high workforce of over 55,000 workers. Even at the local
government level, we also have a huge workforce. When you add this together, we
have over 80,000 workers.
“In line with his MORE Agenda,
the governor has advised chairmen of the 25 local government councils in the
state to implement the new minimum wage effective November.”
Akwa Ibom State
Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom
State announced N80,000 as minimum wage for Akwa Ibom State workers and
constituted an implementation committee with a one-month deadline to determine
how the wage increase should be executed.
The committee, headed by the
state’s Head of the Civil Service, included the Accountant General, state
Chairman of the Joint Public Service Negotiating Council, state chairmen of the
NLC, Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, TUC and Nigeria Union of Local Government
Employees, NULGE, among others.
There is no word yet from the committee
on commencement date.
Rivers State
In Rivers State, no date has
been announced by the government for commencement of implementation of the
N85,000 minimum wage promised by the government.
With just about a month to
Christmas, civil servants in Rivers State are eagerly awaiting implementation
of the new minimum wage of N85,000 approved by Governor, Siminalayi Fubara.
The Head of Service of the
state, George Nwaeke, announced that Fubara granted the approval during a
closed-door meeting with labour leaders and senior government officials.
Cross River
The Chief Press Secretary to
Cross River State Governor, Gill Nsabasi, said the state government is still
paying the N40,000 the governor, Senator Bassey Otu, announced on May Day this
year.
He disclosed that negotiations
were ongoing on the N70,000 the federal government and labour agreed,
“Once negotiations are
concluded, the payment of the new minimum wage will commence,’’ Nsabasi stated.
South-East
Report from the South East,
indicates that while states such as Ebonyi State is paying N75,000, Anambra
promised to begin implementation in October, but failed to do so, though still
paying N40,000 across board to all civil servants in the state.
Abia State started implementing
in October, while Enugu State is implementing N80,000.
Imo State government agreed to
pay the minimum wage, but the government said it is working out modalities for
payment with labour.
Kano State
In Kano State, the implementation
is expected to begin this November. Findings show that Kano State government
has added N1,000 to the approved minimum wage, taking it up to N71, 000 as the
least pay for the lowest worker in the state, with effect from this month.
Niger State
In the same vein, Niger State
government announced N80,000 as minimum wage for all categories of its workers
effective November.
The state governor, Muhammed
Bago, who announced this, did not, however, state whether he would pay arrears
to workers.
Kaduna State
Similarly, workers in Kaduna
are to enjoy N2000 more than the national wage of N70,000, based on the
approval given by Governor Uba Sani for Kaduna State civil servants, with
effect from November 2024.
A statement issued by Chief
Press Secretary to the Governor, Malam Ibraheem Musa, said the decision is in
line with advancement of the interests of workers and improvement in the living
conditions of the poor, vulnerable and underserved in Kaduna State.
Kebbi State
The Kebbi State government
stated implementing in October. Governor Nasir Idris approved and paid N75,000
as minimum wage to workers in the state.
Workers in Kebbi state received
the new minimum wage after Governor Idris signed the edict giving effect to the
new pay structure in the presence of the President of NLC, Joe Ajaero, and also
directed the 21 local government councils in the state to pay the same to their
workers.
Kogi State
Kogi State also started
implementing of the new wage in October. Governor Usman Ododo announced the
commencement of the payment of N72,500 minimum wage approved for workers in the
state earlier in October.
Borno State
In Borno, Governor Babagana
Zulum has started payment of N77,000 as minimum wage to its workers, with
effect from October.
Jigawa State
In Jigawa State, jubilant
workers got new salary alerts from their banks last Friday (November 1) and
started praising the state governor for the payment.
Adamawa State
However, in Adamawa State, the
payment started as early as August this year as the governor approved
implementation as soon as the federal government sanctioned the new pay.
Nasarawa State
Governor Abdullahi Sule of
Nasarawa has approved the payment of N70,000 minimum wage to civil servants in
the state.
However, Senior Special
Assistant to Governor on Public Affairs, Peter Ahemba, said a commencement date
will be finalised with labour soon.
Kwara State
Kwara State government
commenced the payment of the news minimum wage of N70, 000 to its workers in
October but that did not cover parastatals in the state.
While the state government
attributed the lapses to the ongoing data process which did not capture workers
in the parastatals before the payment, Vanguard gathered from the state chapter
of the Nigeria Labour Congress that it was due to paucity of funds.
Gombe State
In Gombe State, it was gathered
that implementation started in October.
However, the fate of workers in
Sokoto, Benue, Bauchi, Plateau, Zamfara, Nasarawa, Yobe and Taraba states,
receiving the new minimum wage still hangs in the balance as the governments
have remained silent on the matter.
Labour fumes, threaten
recalcitrant states
Reacting to the development,
one of the leaders of NLC said Organised Labour had given December 1 strike
notice to make governance difficult for states unwilling to pay the new wage of
N70,000.
An NLC official told Vanguard
yesterday that “organised labour, especially the NLC, is eagerly waiting for
December 1 to take on recalcitrant states.
“We want to use this medium to
sound a very serious warning to states that do not want to pay. In fact, they
do not have a choice. The earlier they conclude arrangements and start implementing,
the better for them.
‘’It is a law and all of them
are enjoying improved revenue from removal of fuel subsidy, among others.
‘’From our records, only about
12 states are implementing, while about six other states promised to pay in November.
It is not about promises; it is about action by implementation. Mind you, the
state must fully implement, not partial implementation.
‘’It is not about paying state
public workers and not extending payment to local government employees. Once we
get report of no compliance, we shall descend on such a state.
Dec
1 strike notice
Recall that NLC had directed
state councils where the N70,000 new minimum wage is not being implemented in
full to begin an indefinite strike from December 1, 2024.
NLC in a communiqué by its
President, Joe Ajaero at the end of its National Executive Council, NEC,
meeting in Port Harcourt Rivers State, said: “The NEC notes with deep
frustration the persistent delay and outright refusal by some state governments
to implement the 2024 National Minimum Wage Act.
“This betrayal by certain
governors and government officials across the country flies in the face of both
legality and morality, as workers continue to be denied their rightful wages
amid rising economic hardship.
‘’It is a blatant disregard for
the law and the lives of millions of Nigerian workers who are being exploited
by the very leaders who swore to protect them.
“The NEC, therefore, resolves
to set up a National Minimum Wage Implementation Committee that will, among
others, commence a nationwide assessment, mobilization and sensitization
campaign, educating workers and citizens on the need to resist this assault on
their dignity and rights.
“Furthermore, the NLC shall
initiate a series of industrial actions in all non-compliant states and shall
not relent until the minimum wage is fully implemented across Nigeria. To this
end, all state councils where the national minimum wage has not been fully
implemented by the last day of November, 2024, have been directed to proceed on
strike, beginning from the 1st day of December, 2024. Nigerian workers demand
justice, and justice they shall have.”
Non-implementation, a violation
of human rights — Wabba
Meanwhile, immediate past
President of NLC, Ayuba Wabba, has described states dragging their feet on the
N70,000 minimum wage as violators of human rights.
In an interview with the BBC
Hausa Service, monitored by our correspondent yesterday, Wabba said it is
common knowledge that since the President signed the minimum wage bill into
law, the N70,000 minimum wage had become law in Nigeria.
“From the day the President
signed, this shows the law becomes effective, with immediate effect and shall
be applied to all categories of workers.
“Many states have implemented
the new wage. In Borno State, the governor announced and implemented it,
including that of teachers. But there are other states where there’s even no
sign of when they would implement the new salary wage.
“Everyone knows the sorry state
of the Nigerian economy. Workers have been pushed to the wall, it has even
reached an extreme, “ he lamented.
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