Workers in the Federal Capital Territory, Cross River, Nasarawa, Ebonyi, Kaduna, and Zamfara states are set to embark on a strike today, following the failure of state authorities to negotiate the payment of the new N70,000 minimum wage.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) had directed workers in 14 states and the FCT to embark on industrial action from Sunday over the non-implementation of the new minimum wage. Despite meetings between implementation panels and labour leaders, the state chapters of the NLC have expressed their readiness to strike.
In the FCT, the NLC Council directed workers in the six Area Councils to embark on an indefinite strike from December 1. The Nasarawa State chapter of the NLC also declared its readiness to strike if the minimum wage was not paid.
In Ebonyi State, workers have been directed to join the strike, citing the failure of Governor Francis Nwifuru to implement the new national minimum wage. The Zamfara State NLC secretary also announced that workers in the state would join the strike.
The Cross River State Government reached an agreement with the state chapters of the NLC and TUC to pay the N70,000 wage to its workers, potentially averting the strike in the state
The Nasarawa State Government has reached an agreement with the state chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to pay workers N70,500. However, the state NLC Chairman, Ismaila Okoh, disclosed that no document had been signed regarding the implementation.
“We have notified all our members to embark on strike tomorrow (today) because of the non-implementation of the national minimum wage in the state, although the minimum wage committee set up by the state government has agreed to start paying N70,500, no document has been signed to that effect up till this moment.” Okoh said.
The Kaduna State Government announced that it had commenced the implementation of the new national minimum wage, with the least-paid worker in the state receiving N72,000 as gross salary in November.
According to Punch report, many states have agreed to pay above the N70,000 minimum wage, with Kaduna State offering its workers N72,000 as minimum wage.
The Kaduna State chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has confirmed its plan to embark on a strike, despite the state government’s claim of complying with the National Minimum Wage Law.
Ayuba Suleiman, the state’s NLC chairman, stated, “Yes, we are set for the strike.” This decision follows the NLC leadership’s directive to workers in 14 states and the FCT to embark on industrial action over the non-implementation of the new minimum wage.
However, Ibraheem Musa, the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Uba Sani, insisted that the state government had complied with the law, paying the lowest-paid civil servant N72,000 last month. Musa noted, “His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Kaduna State, Senator Uba Sani, has complied with the spirit and letter of the National Minimum Wage Law…”
Musa explained that the state government receives an average of N8bn from the Federal Allocation and generates around N4bn monthly, totalling N12bn revenue. With the implementation of the minimum wage, the monthly wage bill increased from N5.4bn to N6.3bn, including N4bn deduction for loan payments every month. This leaves only N2bn for rural transformation, healthcare, education, and other public services in the state.
Musa urged the NLC to exercise patience over consequential adjustments, pending improvement in the state government’s revenue. He added, “Governor Uba Sani is labour-friendly. He has demonstrated this by providing buses for civil servants to commute to work free of charge, as part of the palliatives to cushion the prevailing economic challenges.”
