Governor directs payment of N70,000 minimum wage from October

The Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, has approved the payment of the new minimum wage of N70,000 to workers in the state from October.

The approval is contained in a statement issued on Saturday by the state’s Commissioner for Finance, Hauwa Nuru.

The statement said the approved wage will be implemented across the Kwara State public service, with effect from October 2024.

According to Mrs Nuru, the decision, which includes consequential adjustments to the relevant salary structures, was made after a tripartite meeting between the government, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Trade Union Congress (TUC), the Joint Negotiating Council (JNC) and representatives of the organised private sector.

Mrs Nuru, who is the co-chairman of the minimum wage committee, said Governor Abdulrazaq gave the committee authority to reach a consensus that benefits all parties involved.

“The immediate implementation of this new wage underscores Governor AbdulRazaq’s proactive and worker-friendly approach,” she said.

According to the commissioner, the template also covers workers in the 16 local government areas of the state.

Mrs Nuru said the new wage policy would cushion the effects of the current economic realities in a sustainable way.

She said a collaborative spirit between the government and the labour unions made the agreement possible.

“The new minimum wage is a testament to the state’s commitment to ensuring that workers’ welfare remains at the forefront of its policies”, the commissioner added.