[BREAKING] Minimum Wage: List Of Governors Waiting For FG’s Guidelines Before Implementation And Why

Though President Bola Tinubu has signed the new minimum wage into law, civil servants at the federal and state levels may have to wait a little longer before receiving the ₦70,000 new minimum wage......Read The Full Article>>.....Read The Full Article>>

Recall that Tinubu recently signed the new minimum wage bill into law following its passage by the Senate and the House of Representatives.

This is because the Tinubu-led federal government has yet to make available the consequential adjustment scale detailing the pay of every worker, from the lowest to the highest ranking officer to the state governors.

The federal agency, the National Salaries Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC), is responsible for determining the modalities for effectively implementing the new minimum wage.

Legit.ng learnt that the implementation of the new minimum wage is being slowed down in several states as the governors await the federal government’s communication of the template.

Minimum wage: How many governors have started paying

Meanwhile, Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State has commenced paying the new minimum wage to workers in the state.

Godwin Obaseki of Edo state is another governor who has commenced the payment of the new minimum wage even before the negotiation begins.

While many governors have set up committees for the implementation of the new wage, some of them have publicly said they are waiting for the Tinubu-led government’s template for the implementation of the new minimum wage. Below are those governors:

Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers state

Siminalayi Fubara, the governor of Rivers State, has disclosed that his government is waiting for the federal government to release the modalities for implementing the new minimum wage before he takes action.

According to Fubara, Rivers State will be the first to implement the new minimum wage once the federal government releases an approved guideline.

Governor Fubara made the claim on Thursday, August 22, while speaking at the 2024 Rivers State Civil Service Week in Port Harcourt.

Nasir Idris of Kebbi state

Kebbi State Governor Nasir Idris has denied allegations that his administration is deducting workers’ salaries and refusing to implement the N70,000 minimum wage. He clarified that state governments are still awaiting a template and circular from the Federal Government on the minimum wage implementation.

Idris made this statement while addressing the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) at the Government House in Birnin Kebbi. He expressed gratitude for the maturity shown by the labour leaders on the minimum wage issue.

The Governor also addressed a recent write-up claiming that Kebbi State deducts up to N5,000 from workers’ salaries, including loans, describing it as a sponsored and misleading article. He emphasized that the Federal Government has not yet implemented the minimum wage, and only a few states, like Adamawa, have done so, possibly using an unclear template.

Gombe’s Inuwa Yahaya

The Gombe State Government has established a framework for implementing the new N70,000 National Minimum Wage for its workers.

According to the State Head of Service, Ahmed Abdullahi, Governor Inuwa Yahaya is committed to meeting workers’ needs and will begin paying the new wage structure as soon as the Federal Government’s template is approved.

Minimum wage: Tinubu’s aide speaks on NLC claim

Legit earlier reported that President Bola Tinubu has distanced himself from the NLC’s allegation that he betrayed the union with the latest increment in fuel price.

Abdulaziz Abdulaziz, a media aide to Tinubu, said he was at the two meetings Tinubu had with the labour during minimum wage negotiation.

According to the presidential aide, there was no time Tinubu made an exchange for a fuel price hike during negotiations.