According to reports, Despite the new N70,000 minimum wage taking effect in October, at least seven states, along with the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), have yet to implement or approve it.
This delay affects workers in Zamfara, Sokoto, Osun, Cross River, Imo, Plateau, Taraba, and the FCT, even as 25 other states have begun payment or made announcements.
Zamfara State, for instance, only recently started paying the older N30,000 minimum wage, raising concerns among workers about how soon they might see the new wage.
Meanwhile, in Sokoto, despite a pledge from Governor Ahmed Aliyu to prioritize the new minimum wage, implementation is yet to begin.
In Osun State, Trade Union Congress (TUC) Chairman Bimbo Fasasi stated, “We are getting there, we are at the stage of comparing tables and exchanging tables between us.
I’m confident we will soon have a meeting point and we will be able to make formal announcements and implementation will most definitely follow immediately.”
Similarly, Cross River State Governor Bassey Otu previously raised the minimum wage to N40,000 before the national rate was set.
Negotiations between the state and local labor unions are ongoing to finalize the new wage.
In Imo, Governor Hope Uzodimma assured workers his administration was working towards implementing the new rate, but labor leaders report no official agreement yet.
In Plateau and Taraba, discussions remain at an impasse, and no official approval has been issued.
Amid these delays, workers have voiced their frustrations. A staff member from the Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Investment in Abuja criticized the decision to accept N70,000, noting, “We were not expecting our leaders to accept the N70,000 as minimum wage because the price of foodstuffs, fuel, electricity tariffs, and fuels continue to go up.”
Another civil servant in Osun remarked that the amount was insufficient given inflation and rising living costs.
“How long will it take to exhaust the minimum wage in the face of fuel hikes and inflation?” he asked.
Nigeria Labour Congress President Joe Ajaero also expressed discontent, asserting that recent fuel price hikes had eroded the intended benefits of the N70,000 minimum wage.
Ajaero called on the government to address the growing hardships faced by workers nationwide.
SOURCE: Opera News