Abia govt sets date for minimum wage implementation

The Abia State Government has said it will start implementing the new Minimum Wage of N70,000 in October, even as other states claim they are waiting for a “template” from the federal government.

The Commissioner for Information in Abia, Okey Kanu, disclosed this on Tuesday while briefing reporters after the State Executive Council meeting at the Government House, Umuahia.

“Barring any unforeseen circumstances, Abia Government will commence the payment of the minimum wage to its workers from October.

“This will impact the welfare of Abia workers and mark a fulfilment of Governor Alex Otti’s promise to the people of the state,” he said.

Mr Kanu also said the minimum wage payment will cut across all categories of workers.

Waiting for a ‘template’

Unlike Abia State, Delta and Akwa Ibom states said they are waiting for the federal government to release a template before they could implement the new minimum wage.

“We are waiting for the chart of the new minimum wage because we don’t want to make any mistake,” Governor Sheriff Oborevwori of Delta State said earlier this month in Asaba.

Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State gave a similar excuse a few days ago in Uyo.

He told reporters that he was committed to paying the new minimum wage but was waiting for a ‘modality’ from the federal government.

Earlier in August, Akwa Ibom’s Head of Service, Effiong Essien, had said, “The state government is still waiting for the circular on the new minimum wage. You know it has a process.

“After the legislation, the National Salaries Incomes and Wages Commission has to release a circular with consequential benefits.

“So when the states receive that circular, that is when the states will also prepare in-house towards implementation of the new minimum wage,” he said.

After months of failed discussions, the Nigeria Labour Congress, the Trade Union Congress, and the federal government agreed in July on N70,000 as a new minimum wage.

Following the agreement, the National Assembly amended the Minimum Wage Act, which President Bola Tinubu subsequently signed into law.

In addition to the over 100 percent increase, the new Act has reduced the minimum wage’s lifespan from five to three years.

Not much has been heard at the sub-national level about the new minimum wage, which replaced the former N30,000 that expired last April.

Meanwhile, the yet-to-be-implemented minimum wage appeared to have been rendered meaningless by the recent hike in petrol price and the high inflation in Nigeria.

A litre of petrol costs as much as N1,500 in some Nigerian cities.

(NAN)