Asaba — 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.
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"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.
