Nearly two months after President Bola Tinubu signed the new minimum wage into law, findings revealed that only two states, Edo and Adamawa, have commenced payment of N70,000 to the least-paid workers in their various states.
Eight states, Lagos, Rivers, Ondo Ogun, Kogi, Gombe and Bauchi said they would be paying a different amount.
This came as Organised Labour gave all governors an October deadline to implement the new wage or face industrial unrest.
Of note is that while Edo State started paying its workers N70,000 in June, two months before it was signed into law, Adamawa State started implementing the N70,000 new minimum wage in August.
States where wages have been announced
Lagos
Among states that have displayed preparedness to pay the new wage is Lagos.
Recall that Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu on October 16, said his administration was ready to pay N85,000 as minimum wage.
The decision was said to have been made unilaterally without negotiations or agreement with Organised Labour in the state.
However, Sunday Vanguard learnt the leadership of Labour in the state would begin negotiation with government on October 21, 2024.
Meanwhile, Sanwo-Olu, in an interview, said: “I just want to let you know that the minimum wage in Lagos as we discussed with our workers’ union is N85,000 as of today. It is not a competition. I’m not saying that we are paying more than other states. It is a function of affordability and the function of capacity.
“I would like to come back in January to say that I have been able to increase the minimum wage of Lagos’ public workers to N100,000, not because I want to make anybody look bad, but because I want my people to have a living wage.”
However, a statement jointly signed by the Chairman and Secretary of Lagos State Public Service Joint Negotiating Council, NJIC, Olusegun Balogun and Toba Odumosu, confirmed the planned negotiation meeting with government.
Ondo
Ondo State government agreed to pay N73,000 minimum wage to its workers.
This is N3,000 more than the N70,000 benchmark signed into law.
Like his Lagos State counterpart, it appeared Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa announced the amount without negotiations and agreement with Organised Labour in the state.
The government made its position known during the flag-off of Ondo Central Senatorial District leg of the gubernatorial campaign of All Progressives Congress, APC, in Ondo City.
In a chat, Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Ebenezer Adeniyan, said a committee is already working on the template after which the state government will commence payment.
Ogun
In Ogun State, Governor Dapo Abiodun agreed to pay N77,000 to the lowest worker.
He said payment would begin this month.
The amount is also N7,000 above the baseline of N70,000 at the federal.
Nevertheless, it was gathered that the decision to peg it at N77,000 was after a meeting with the leadership of the Organized Labour in Ogun State.
Edo
Edo State blazed the trail with the payment of N70,000 minimum wage in the country in June 2024.
This was before the Federal Government agreed to pay N70,000 following bitting hardship in the country.
Rivers
Also, in Rivers State, Governor Siminalayi Fubara approved the payment of N85,000.00 to civil servants in the state, starting from November 2024.
However, reports said an agreement was reached during a closed-door meeting presided over by the governor and attended by representatives of Organised Labour under the auspices of the Joint Public Service Negotiating Council.
Delta
In Delta State, Governor Sheriff Oborevwori approved the payment of new minimum wage to workers with effect from October.
However, there is no report on the amount to be paid.
Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Dr. Kingsley Emu, disclosed the governor’s approval during a meeting of the Minimum Wage Committee with the leadership of Organised Labour in Delta State.
Emu said the meeting was at the instance of Governor Oborevwori, who directed immediate payment of the new minimum wage starting in October.
Kogi
Governor Ahmed Ododo of Kogi State, on October 7, approved N72, 500 as minimum wage for the least-paid workers.
The N72,500 wage is N2,500 higher than the amount approved in July by Governor Ododo also approved tax relief for all workers in the state.
Gombe
In Gombe State, Governor Inuwa Yahaya approved N71,500 as minimum wage for civil servants effective October 2024.
Chairman of NLC in the state, Yusuf Aish-Bello, disclosed this after the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, on the new national minimum wage in Gombe on October 14, 2024.
Aish-Bello said a worker on grade level 1, step 1, would be receiving N71,551.
According to him, “Today, we have reached an agreement on what will be paid to civil servants in the state.
“It has been agreed that the minimum standard of paying in Gombe State will be N71,551.15 that is for Grade Level 1 step 1.
“You know the salary structure has its intricacies, the N18,000 and N30,000 is nothing to write home about.’’
Adamawa
Adamawa State government, like its counterpart in Edo State, pays the new wage.
Gombe began the payment of the N70, 000 minimum wage in August 2024 to all categories of civil servants.
It was however gathered that the implementation of the new wage at the Local government councils is expected to commence this October.
Bauchi
Bauchi State NLC Chairman, Dauda Shu’aibu, confirmed that a minimum wage of N70,000 has been agreed upon.
He noted that the committee on implementation began work on October 7, 2024.
However, the commencement date has not been made public.
It was gathered that government had earlier inaugurated a tripartite technical committee tasked with arriving at the modalities for the payment of the new wage.
The committee included representatives from state government, NLC, and the TUC.
Borno
In Borno State, Governor, Babagana Zulum convened a meeting with the state minimum wage implementation committee during which he directed that civil servants be paid the new national wage this month.
The meeting was held in Maiduguri in October 2024 at the council chamber of the Government House.
States yet-to-announce
Meanwhile, most of the states appear not to have shown readiness to pay the new wage.
Oyo
In Oyo State, Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Dr. Sulaimon Olanrewaju, said: “The current administration under His Excellency, Governor Seyi Makinde, has not yet decided on the new minimum wage for state workers.
“It is important to note that this decision is not solely at the discretion of the governor. He plans to meet with relevant stakeholders to discuss the matter.
“Following these discussions, a new wage policy will be announced. In the meantime, Oyo State workers have been benefiting from the initiatives of the current government. At the appropriate time, we will communicate the details of the new wage policy after consultations with labour unions in the state. “
Bayelsa
Similarly, Bayelsa State government is yet to announce any date for the commencement of payment of the new minimum wage.
But the Chairman of the state chapter of TUC, Julius Laye, said: “The committee set up by His Excellency, the Governor is working on the various templates for the various salary structures based on the percentage released by the National Salary, Wage and Income Commission. Once that is concluded, the state and labour will go through it and a presentation will be made to the governor.”
In Cross River
In Cross River State, Gill Nsabasi, Chief Press Secretary, CPS, to the governor, Senator Bassey Otu, said the state is still paying the N40,000 the governor announced on May Day this year.
According to him, “Negotiations are ongoing on the N70,000 agreed by the Federal Government with labour. Once negotiations are concluded, payment of the new minimum wage will be done.”
Akwa Ibom
In the same vein, nothing has been heard about the implementation of the new minimum wage in Akwa Ibom.
It would be recalled that while the negotiations were still ongoing at the federal level, Governor Umo Eno said his administration would wait on the federal government to come up with modalities before Akwa Ibom makes a pronouncement.
Imo
In Imo State, Governor, Hope Uzodimma said the state government and the state leadership of Labour are working out modalities for the payment of N70,000.
The governor, through his CPS, Oguike Nwachukwu, in a statement, said: “Since the new minimum wage figure of N70,000 is already known to everyone, what is needed is to work out the modalities on the consequential adjustments to trickle it down to the senior staff cadre because it is not for the junior workers alone.
“Governor Uzodimma said but for limited resources at the disposal of government, he was committed to immediate implementation.’’
Benue
In Benue State, Governor Hyacinth Alia promised that his administration would pay the N70,000 wage to the state workforce.
His words: “I understand that things are difficult and the economy is stagnated. With all the plans and arrangements that are in place, things are moving and even our Internally Generated Revenue, IGR, has increased.
“It is now left to us to block all the loopholes and see how we can cash in to do other things including the payment of salaries. We can pay, I am focused with all my purposes and intentions.’’
Sokoto
In Sokoto State, nothing has been done to implement the new minimum wage.
Governor Ahmed Aliyu had initially promised that his administration would be among the first states to pay the new minimum when NLC and the federal government reached an agreement.
Since an agreement was reached on the N70,000 new minimum wage, his government has kept mute.
Commissioner for Information, Sambo Bello Danchadi, while speaking to Sunday Vanguard, said: “Please, there is no cause for alarm. The minimum wage will be paid to our workforce.”
Kaduna
Special Adviser to Governor Uba Sani on Labour Matters, Adamu Sama’ila, said the governor has set up a committee on Minimum Wage.
But the state Chairman of NLC, Ayuba Suleiman, earlier said negotiations for the implementation had not started.
According to him, “There is no basis yet to begin the negotiations, as the National Salary and Wages Commission is yet to come up with the new salary table.
“The table we have presently is based on N30,000 minimum wage and it is the responsibility of the National Salary, Income and Wages Commission to determine the new table for the salary structures.”
Niger
In Niger State, nothing has been done on the implementation of the new minimum wage.
Though government had agreed in principle to pay, there seems to be nothing on the ground in that regard.
It would be recalled the state Deputy Governor, Yakubu Garba, during May Day celebration this year, said the state government would implement the new minimum wage.
He did not, however, give the implementation time.
Sunday Vanguard’s findings show that no committee has been set up for negotiations.
Taraba
In Taraba State, N30,000 minimum wage is still in force.
However, after the announcement of the new minimum wage in June, Governor Agbu Kefas, said his administration would pay.
He said: “My administration is fully committed to implementing federal government’s decision on the minimum wage.’’
Kwara
Kwara State government and labour leadership have yet to agree on the template for implementation of the N70,000 new minimum wage for civil servants in the state.
Commissioner for Communications, Bola Olukoju, told Sunday Vanguard that stakeholders were still meeting on the issue.
She said: “We have not concluded on the minimum wage in Kwara State. We are still meeting with stakeholders on it. I will let you know as soon as we conclude on the amount to pay as minimum wage .”
Plateau
Government said it would pay the new minimum wage without indicating when it would commence.
Commissioner for Information and Communication, Musa Ashoms, said: “Plateau State is having an interface with the unions to look at the reality of our purse so that we do not announce figures for sensationalism. We will announce what we can pay.
“We had a session with the unions recently. Our purse is different from others and we are looking at things holistically.”
Labour fumes
Reacting to the issue, Organised Labour said it is not taking the situation lightly.
This newspaper had reported that governors’ unwillingness or slow pace in implementation was a major issue during last Wednesday’s meeting with the federal government.
Recall that Vanguard had exclusively reported that at the meeting held in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of Federation, SFG, there was an agreement to summon a meeting with state governors to ensure implementation.
A Labour leader who pleaded anonymity, said: ”We are waiting for the federal government to meet the state governors on the matter since the federal government has agreed to meet with the governors over it.
We resolved to wait till the end of October before deciding what next steps to take. If at the end of October, the situation remains as it is today, then we shall take appropriate action.
The N70,000 minimum wage is a law duly legislated by the National Assembly and signed into law by the President of the country. There are consequences for those who decide to breach the law. We shall also handle such people whether public or private in our own ways within the ambit of the law.
One other issue we are discussing with the federal government is the commencement date. The amendment done by the National Assembly and signed into law by the President did not affect or change the principal act, which stipulates that minimum wage commenced on April 18. The government is aware of that. So, when the discussion is concluded, arrears will be paid across the board nationwide and in all sectors.”
Meanwhile, there is disquiet in federal MDAs over the use of the old minimum wage template for payments.