₦70k Minimum Wage: Wabba Calls Out Governors For Human Rights Abuse

Former labour leader, Ayuba Wabba has said that those delaying the payment of the ₦70,000 minimum wage are violators of human rights.

Wabba stated this during an interview with BBC Hausa Service.

He asserted that once the President signed the minimum wage bill into law, the ₦70,000 wage became an official law in Nigeria.

“From the moment the President signed the bill, it became effective immediately and applies to all categories of workers,” he said.

He added, “Many states have already implemented the new wage. In Borno State, the Governor announced and implemented it, including for teachers. However, there are other states where there is still no indication of when they will implement the new salary.”

“Everyone is aware of the dire state of the Nigerian economy. Workers have been pushed to their limits, and the situation has reached an extreme,” he lamented.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has also stated that it will take a firm stand against the stubborn governors, who they accuse of lacking sympathy for workers.

Minimum Wage: NLC Directs Members To Go On Strike, Accuses Governors Of Betrayal

Meanwhile, NLC has instructed workers in states that are yet to begin the implementation of the new ₦70,000 minimum wage to proceed on strike.

Naija News reports workers in affected states have been directed to commence the strike beginning on December 1. 2024.

The directive was part of resolutions reached at the end of the NLC National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held over the weekend.

The NLC accused Governors who are yet to commence the implementation of the new minimum wage of betrayal, saying workers in the affected states are being denied their rights.

The NEC notes with deep frustration the persistent delay and outright refusal by some state governments to implement the 2024 National Minimum Wage Act. This betrayal by certain governors and government officials across the country flies in the face of both legality and morality, as workers continue to be denied their rightful wages amidst rising economic hardship. It is a blatant disregard for the law and the lives of millions of Nigerian workers, who are being exploited by the very leaders sworn to protect them,” the NLC communique read in part.

The NLC added that apart from the industrial action, a committee would be set up to monitor the implementation of the new minimum wage across the nation.

“The NEC therefore resolves to set up a National Minimum Wage Implementation Committee that will among others commence a nationwide assessment, mobilization and sensitization campaign, educating workers and citizens on the need to resist this assault on their dignity and rights. Furthermore, the NLC shall initiate a series of industrial actions in all non-compliant states and shall not relent until the minimum wage is fully implemented across Nigeria.

“To this end, all state Councils where the National Minimum Wage has not been fully implemented by the last day of November, 2024 have been directed to proceed on strike beginning from the 1st day of December, 2024. Nigerian workers demand justice, and justice they shall have,” the communique added.