- The minimum wage had been a subject of debate immediately after President Bola Tinubu announced the removal of the fuel subsidy during his inaugural speech
- For months, the labour union were in negotiation with the federal government before reaching an N70,000 agreement for the new minimum wage, which was recently implemented
- However, some governors have gone beyond what was agreed between the federal government and labour leaders to cater for the needs of workers in their states
The quest for a new minimum wage began immediately after President Bola Tinubu announced the removal of the country’s fuel subsidy. Tinubu had announced that “subsidy is gone” during his inaugural speech on May 29, 2023.
After months of negotiation between the labour leaders and the federal government, N70,000 was agreed upon and recently signed into law as the new minimum wage. This increase applies to all employers with at least 50 employees and aims to improve the livelihoods of millions of workers and alleviate poverty.
Photo Credit: @Safiyanudm, @DapoAbiodunCON, @OndoAPC
Source: Twitter
However, implementation remains a challenge, particularly for small businesses and state governments with limited budgets. Labour unions and advocacy groups continue to push for stricter enforcement and regular adjustments to keep pace with inflation.
Lawyer speaks minimum wage
Bisi Afolabi, a legal practitioner, in an exclusive interview with Legit.ng, posited that the payment of the new minimum wage lies on the political will of the state government. He said:
“The question of payment of the newly approved minimum wage is a question of political will, rather than economic capability.”
Despite the concerns, some governors have announced the implementation of over N70,000 as minimum wage for workers in their state. Below is a list of those governors who made such an announcement recently:
Governor Yahaya of Gombe
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Governor Muhammad Yahaya of the Gombe state government recently reached an agreement to implement N71,000 new minimum wage.
It was learned that the development resulted from intense negotiations between the state government and the workers’ union.
This was a surprising development, as there were concerns that the state would not be able to pay the new minimum wage the federal government had agreed to with the labour leaders.
Governor Abiodun to pay N77,000
Ogun state governor Dapo Abiodun recently announced the approval of ₦77,000 as the new minimum wage for workers in the state.
After meeting with the union leaders, the governor announced that the new minimum wage would take effect immediately.
The meeting, led by Tokunbo Talabi, the secretary to the state government, aimed to discuss the implementation of the new minimum wage. Governor Abiodun initiated the meeting to address workers’ welfare.
Ondo Governor Aiyedatiwa announces N73,000
Ondo state governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has announced the implementation of N73,000 as the new minimum wage for workers in the state
Aiyedatiwa, the APC candidate in the November 16 governorship election in Ondo, announced the development at the campaign’s flag-off.
The governor highlighted his administration’s achievements in improving the welfare of civil servants. He emphasized that the state government has paid workers’ salaries regularly and provided training opportunities and promotion exercises.
Ododo to pay N72,500 to Kogi workers
Ahmed Ododo, the governor of Kogi state, was among the sub-governments that recently approved the payment of ₦72,500 minimum wage for workers in the state.
Governor Ododo’s action followed the submission of the Minimum Wage Committee report on Monday, October 7.
The governor also announced that the payment of the newly approved minimum wage would commence in October.
Sanwo-Olu announces N85,000 minimum wage
The governor of Lagos state, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has made a fresh pledge: He announced that the minimum wage for civil servants in the state has been set at N85,000.
Sanwo-Olu aid his government will increase the minimum wage of Lagos to N100,000 by January 2025.
The governor made this announcement in an interview with Channels Television on Wednesday, October 16.
Governor Fubara of Rivers
The Rivers government on Friday, October 18, approved a minimum wage of N85,000 for civil servants in the state.
The head of service of the state, George Nwaeke, announced that the approval was granted by Governor Siminalayi Fubara during a closed-door meeting with labour leaders and senior government officials.
Following the meeting, Nwaeke confirmed that the implementation of the new minimum wage will take effect immediately.
Minimum wage: Governor Oyebanji announces payment
Legit.ng earlier reported that Ekiti state governor Biodun Oyebanji announced that his administration has implemented the new minimum wage.
The governor made the announcement during the 2024 Pensioners’ Day in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, on Sunday, October 12.
Oyebanji also announced that senior citizens would get consequential adjustment payments to their pensions.
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Source: Legit.ng
