Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue state has made a significant move to improve the lives of workers in the state by approving a minimum wage of N75,000, exceeding the president’s approved sum of N70,000. This decision was made after a meeting with members of the organized Labour at the State Secretariat in Makurdi on Monday, November 18......See Full Story>>.....See Full Story>>
According to the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Tersoo Kula, the governor has also promised to pay the remaining three months of the five-month backlog of arrears inherited by his administration. This payment will be made alongside the new minimum wage, effective November 2024, as budgeted in the 2024 budget.
The governor’s aide says this move is expected to alleviate the hardships on state workers, who have been struggling to make ends meet. The governor’s motivation is to ensure that workers are properly taken care of, demonstrating his commitment to serving the common man.
Kula further notes that the new minimum wage of N75,000 considers the concerns organised Labour raised during negotiations, including wage awards, transportation allowances, tax relief, and work-off days. By exceeding the president’s approved sum, the governor has shown that he is willing to listen to workers’ needs and take concrete steps to address them.
This decision is a significant departure from earlier rumours that the state planned to pay a minimum wage of N40,000, which the Benue State Government and the Nigerian Labour Congress debunked.
According to Kula, the governor’s commitment to paying the arrears and implementing the new minimum wage is a breath of fresh air for workers in Benue state. It demonstrates his administration’s focus on improving workers’ welfare and addressing the state’s economic challenges. As the governor emphasized, his government is committed to serving the common man, and this decision is a step in the right direction.
States where teachers get N18,000 minimum wage
Legit earlier reported that the NUT has expressed pessimism that the local governments in Nigeria may not be able to pay primary school teachers once the new minimum wage is implemented.
The report indicated that some states, including Nasarawa, Enugu, Zamfara, Borno, Yobe, and Kogi, did not implement the new minimum wage when the N18,000 was approved.
Mike Ene, the NUT national president, maintained that some states do not implement the N30,000 minimum wage for LG teachers, saying it is not the responsibility of the state governments.