Minimum wage: Only greed won’t make govs meet fresh demand, NLC declares

The Nigeria Labour Congress has said penchant for wealth by the state governors was responsible for their unreadiness to pay the new minimum wage.

This is just as the NLC said the state governors have no excuse not to pay the N70,000 minimum wage.

According to NLC, if the governors can pay themselves the same amount of salaries, it is a must for every one of them to pay the new wage.

The National Treasurer of the NLC, Akeem Ambali, in an interview with Saturday PUNCH, said it was an act of wickedness for any governor to say he couldn’t pay the minimum wage.

Ambali chided Gombe State Governor, Muhammad Inuwa, for declaring that the state couldn’t pay the new wage.

He said, “Why would Gombe Governor be able to pay himself salary of the same amount with that of Lagos and Rivers, but couldn’t pay the N70,000 minimum wage? It is an act of wickedness and disrespect for workers who work day and night to develop the state.

“All of us know the prevailing hunger in the land, it is unfortunate that a governor who lives in opulence, receiving more than N500m security vote, staying in free government accommodation and paying himself fantastic salary and will still receive gratuity is saying he couldn’t pay the state workers N70,000 minimum wage.

“Workers are not slaves. His statement doesn’t show responsive leadership. We will shut down any states that fail to pay minimum wage.

“Within May 29, 2023 and today, allocations to states have increased by over 120 per cent, they have also gotten infrastructure support which doesn’t show any commensurate development in their state.

“The penchant for wealth and lack of respect for what labour stands for is why governors are unwilling to pay the minimum wage.”

He called on Nigerians, especially those protesting against bad governance to challenge their various state governors how they are managing the increased allocation from the Federal Government.

Ambali said the minimum wage was expected to take effect from May.

He said, “The old minimum wage expired in April; labour expects that the effective date for the minimum wage should be around May 2024, but it is negotiable.”

Meanwhile, Sokoto State Government has promised that to implement the new minimum wage as approved by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu recently.

The state governor, Ahmed Aliyu Sokoto, stated this during a town hall meeting on the proposed nationwide protest declared by some youths in the country.

“On our part I want to assure you that the Sokoto State Government is ready to implement the new National minimum wage as approved by Mr President

“Undoubtedly our Country is facing quite a number of challenges that include Economic down turn, Inflation, cost of living as well as Insecurity among other challenges”.

The governor noted that it is indeed obvious that the hardship being faced by ordinary Nigerians has worsened there by making lives unbearable to many citizens.

According to him,prices of some essential items have now gone up far above the purchasing power of an average Nigerian, a situation that has further aggravated the problems being faced in the country today” he added.

Recall that the Sokoto State Government was one of the few states in the country currently implementing the 30,000 minimum wage for its workforce in the state civil service.

Also, the governor of Kebbi State, Dr Nasir Idris, disclosed his administration’s readiness to have a fruitful discussion with the state union leader on the new minimum wage.

The Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Ahmed Idris, while speaking with our correspondent on telephone, said the state governor was ready to put smile on the faces of the state workers.

In Kogi State, the state Commissioner for Finance, Ashiwaju Ashiru Idris, said no date had been fixed for the implementation of the N70,000 minimum wage signed into law recently by President,Bola Tunubu.

Responding to our Correspondent’s enquiry as to when the state will commence the payment of the minimum wage, the commissioner said he had no information about when that would happen.

Also, the Nasarawa State government has expressed its readiness to align with the Federal Government of Nigeria on the new N70,000 national minimum wage for workers in the country.

Speaking with our correspondent in Lafia on Wednesday, the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Abdullahi Sule on Public Affairs, Peter Ahemba, explained that the state government had rolled out plans to begin the new payment to its workers.

He explained that the governor had long assured workers in the state that, to ensure their financial stability, he was willing to pay whatever amount the federal government and the Organised Labour agrees to pay workers across the country.

He said, “The Nasarawa State government is fully ready to begin with the payment of N70,000 as agreed by the federal government of Nigeria.

“Governor Abdullahi Sule had made his position clear on this matter that he is ready to pay whatever is agreed between the FG and Organised Labour.

“So, workers in the state have nothing to worry about because they will soon start enjoying the new national minimum wage.”

In Kano State, the government has inaugurated an Advisory Committee on the New National Minimum Wage.

The state Deputy Governor, Aminu Abdulsalam Gwarzo inaugurated the committee on behalf of the governor at the Government House.

Also speaking on the matter, the Plateau State Government said it was studying the N70,000 minimum wage offered to workers by the Federal Government.

The state Commissioner for Information, Musa Ashoms, said the government would make its position known on the matter after negotiation with the organised labour.