More state governors have continued to express readiness to implement the N70,000 new national minimum wage, which President Bola Tinubu signed into law on Monday, July 29, 2024, up from the initial N30,000.
Recall that the new minimum wage followed a series of meetings that failed to reach an agreement between the Organised Labour, private sectors, and federal government representatives who made up the Tripartite Committee.
The new minimum wage is viewed as a key step in addressing the rising cost of living and improving the welfare of Nigerian civil servants. However, its implementation at the state level has sparked mixed reactions from governors across the country.
While some state governors have expressed their readiness to pay the new minimum wage, others have raised concerns about their inability to do so due to limited financial resources.
In this article, Tribune Online examines some state governors who have declared their readiness to implement the new N70,000 minimum wage.
1. Douye Diri (Bayelsa State)
The Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri, has approved N80,000 as the new minimum wage for civil servants, effective November 1, 2024.
Additionally, he has approved an increase in the monthly pensions of retired workers and allocated N7 billion towards reducing outstanding gratuity liabilities.
The governor’s spokesperson, Daniel Alabrah, disclosed these decisions in a statement on Sunday, October 27, 2024. He noted that Governor Diri acknowledges the challenges workers face due to the rising cost of living.
2. Mohammed Umaru Bago (Niger State)
Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago of Niger State has announced a new minimum wage of N80,000 for state and local government civil servants, effective from November 2024.
The announcement followed an extensive meeting with the state’s Organised Labour Union on October 25, 2024, during which the governor pledged to review and enhance wages for the state’s workforce regularly.
3. Peter Mbah (Enugu State)
Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State has authorised a new minimum wage of N80,000 for state workers, effective October 2024, joining the list of governors approving the new national minimum wage.
He announced this on October 24, 2024, via his official X account. While emphasising the significance of the decision for Enugu’s workforce, he stated that his administration values the workers’ dedication and sacrifices and remains committed to prioritising their welfare in line with its campaign promises.
4. Alex Otti (Abia State)
Governor Alex Otti of Abia State has expressed the government’s readiness to implement the new N70,000 minimum wage for workers, with payments starting in October 2024.
The Commissioner for Information, Prince Okey Kanu, made the announcement during a press briefing following the State Executive Council meeting on October 21, 2024. Kanu emphasised that the decision reflects the government’s commitment to improving the welfare of its workforce.
5. Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq (Kwara State)
Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq of Kwara State has approved the implementation of a new N70,000 minimum wage, in line with the Federal Government’s directive, according to a statement from the state government over the weekend.
In a statement issued on October 19, 2024, the State Commissioner for Finance, Dr Hauwa Nuru, confirmed that the new wage would take effect across the Kwara State public service from October 2024. She described the move as a significant step towards enhancing the welfare of workers in the state.
6. Siminalayi Fubara (Rivers State)
The Rivers State Government has approved a new minimum wage of N85,000 for civil servants.
The Head of Service, George Nwaeke, made the announcement on October 18, 2024, following a closed-door meeting between Governor Siminalayi Fubara, labour leaders, and senior government officials. Nwaeke confirmed that the new wage would take effect immediately.
7. Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos State)
Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, while commemorating Workers’ Day on May 1, 2024, assured civil servants in the state that his administration would implement the now-approved new minimum wage.
He added that his administration is committed to building a more inclusive and equitable society where workers’ interests receive the attention they deserve.
In a recent development, Governor Sanwo-Olu, during a live interview on Channels TV’s “One-On-One with Babajide Sanwo-Olu” on Wednesday evening, disclosed readiness to pay N85,000 minimum wage for workers in the state, saying the decision had already been discussed with labour unions.
8. Muhammad Yahaya (Gombe State)
Gombe State workers have joined the growing list of civil servants whose governors have expressed willingness to implement the new national minimum wage.
On October 15, 2024, the Gombe State Government approved a new minimum wage of N71,451 for state civil servants and local government employees.
This decision follows successful negotiations between the government and organised labour, ensuring that the lowest-paid workers in the state now receive the new national minimum wage.
9. Dapo Abiodun (Ogun State)
Dapo Abiodun, the executive governor of Ogun State, has joined the growing list of governors ready to implement the new minimum wage.
The governor expressed his readiness to pay the new national minimum wage and approved N77,000 as the new minimum wage for Ogun State civil servants, with immediate effect.
This development was disclosed on October 14, 2024, by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr. Tokunbo Talabi, following a meeting with the leadership of organised labour in the state.
10. Ahmed Ododo (Kogi State)
Civil servants in Kogi State will soon have reason to smile as Governor Ahmed Ododo approved N72,500 as the new minimum wage for state workers.
On October 7, 2024, the governor announced that the payment would take effect immediately. He noted that, after deliberations between the union and the government, the committee arrived at a position that balances the interests of both the workers and the state.
11. Charles Soludo (Anambra State)
The governor of Anambra State, Charles Soludo, has joined the list of governors committed to paying the new national minimum wage. He announced that his administration will commence payment of the N70,000 minimum wage by the end of October 2024.
The governor made the announcement during a parade ceremony on October 1, 2024, to mark Nigeria’s 64th Independence Day celebration at Dr Alex Ekwueme Square, Awka.
12. Dikko Radda (Kastina State)
Dikko Radda, the governor of Katsina State, is the latest state governor to express readiness to implement the new minimum wage of N70,000. He announced this during the Public Engagement and Launch of the Community Development Programme, part of the 2025 Citizens Budget Participation Process, held in Katsina on Thursday, 5 September 2024.
He stated that Katsina State is well-positioned to lead the implementation of the new wage policy and added that his administration is committed to public sector service delivery.
13. Francis Nwifuru (Ebonyi State)
The governor of Ebonyi State, Francis Nwifuru, has joined the list of state governors ready to pay the new minimum wage of N70,000. He made this known during the grand finale of the Ojiji Izhi New Yam Festival 2024. The Governor also directed all relevant government authorities to draft modalities for implementing the new minimum wage, which is set to commence this September.
14. Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya (Gombe State)
In a recent development, the Governor of Gombe State, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, has expressed his willingness to join the list of state governors prepared to pay the new minimum wage. This was disclosed by the state’s Deputy Governor, Manassah Daniel Jatau, during a press briefing held late on Sunday, 25th August, at the conference hall of the Deputy Governor’s Office in Gombe. The Deputy Governor stated that Governor Yahaya is committed to implementing the new minimum wage to boost the morale of the state’s civil servants.
15. Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri (Adamawa State)
The Governor of Adamawa State, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, recently disclosed the approval of the new minimum wage of N70,000 to civil servants on Monday, August 19, 2024.
He described the approval as a reaffirmation of his administration’s commitment to the welfare of state civil servants.
16. Lucky Aiyedatiwa (Ondo State)
Ahead of the gubernatorial election in Ondo State, the incumbent governor and candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Lucky Aiyedatiwa, has also shown a willingness to pay the new minimum wage.
This was made known in a statement released on August 6, 2024, by the Ondo State Head of Service, Mr. Bayo Philip. According to him, Governor Aiyedatiwa had consistently assured that Ondo State, under his leadership, would adhere to the minimum wage standard set by the Federal Government.
17. Abdullahi Sule (Nasarawa State)
Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State is one of the governors who have expressed willingness to pay the new minimum wage. The governor revealed on August 6, 2024, through his Senior Special Assistant (SSA) on Public Affairs, Comrade Peter Ahemba, that his administration is committed to workers’ welfare, adding that the payment of the new wage would commence anytime soon.
18. Seyi Makinde (Oyo State)
Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, through his Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Sulaimon Olanrewaju, earlier disclosed on July 29, 2024, that paying the N70,000 minimum wage to the state’s workers would not be too difficult for the Oyo government.
Mr Olanrewaju recalled that during the 2024 Workers’ Day celebration, the governor had pledged to pay whatever the national minimum wage would be, adding that the governor’s stance remains unchanged.
19. Babagana Zulum (Borno State)
Borno State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Inuwa Yusuf, revealed in an interview with the Nigerian Tribune on July 21, 2024, that Governor Babagana Zulum has expressed his willingness to pay the new N70,000 wage.
He stated that the governor is committed to adopting the new minimum wage agreed upon by the Federal Government for state civil servants.
20. Ademola Adeleke (Osun State)
Osun State Governor Ademola Adeleke is also among the governors who have expressed readiness to pay the new minimum wage. On July 19, 2024, the governor, through the state’s Commissioner for Information, Kolapo Alimi, revealed that Adeleke’s administration prioritises the welfare of workers, adding that Osun State would not deviate from the law on the new minimum wage.
21. Hyacinth Alia (Benue State)
Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue State has stated that his administration is prepared to pay state workers the new national minimum wage of N70,000. The governor, who made this known to journalists in Makurdi, the state’s capital, on Friday, July 19, 2024, revealed that his administration had blocked leakages and implemented measures to ensure the new minimum wage is paid.
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