By Pascal Ibe
As hardship continues to bite harder in Nigeria, the administration of Imo State governor, Hope Uzodimma, is yet to react to the new minimum wage approved by President Bola Tinubu, one month later.
On July 18 2024, the Nigeria leader, Bola Ahmed Tinubu approved a new minimum wage of N70,000 for Nigerian workers and pledged to review the national minimum wage law every three years.
The national minimum wage for workers in Nigeria reached 70,000 Nigerian naira (NGN) in 2024, which equaled about 44 U.S. dollars. On July 23, 2024, this minimum wage of 70,000 NGN was passed into law, increasing from the previous amount of 30,000 NGN. According to most recent data, the monthly cost of living for an individual in Nigeria amounted to 43,200 NGN on average, whereas this figure added up to over 137,000 NGN for a family.
Since July, many state governors have expressed their readiness to implement the new minimum wage
Among the States that have agreed to pay the new minimum wage are; Adamawa, Osun, Lagos, Benue, Gombe, Oyo and Ebonyi.
Ebonyi State is the only Southeast state to have agreed to the implementation of the new minimum wage. On August 31, the state governor, Francis Nwifuru said his administration is ready to begin payment of #70,000 to workers.
I WILL BE AMONG FIRST TO IMPLEMENT NEW MINIMUM WAGE
In May, the Imo Governor, Hope Uzodimma said his government would be among the first to implement the new minimum wage anytime the tripartite committee and the federal government agree on the issue.
Addressing workers in May, the Governor listed some of his welfare packages to Imo workers to include: the implementation of N30,000 minimum wage, prompt payment of salaries, free transportation to and fro work, free health insurance scheme with complete payment of premiums, palliative measures to cushion the effect of fuel subsidy removal, adjustment of the salary to N40,000 for the lower cadre of workers, among others.
40,000 MINIMUM WAGE CLAIM BY IMO GOVT
In June, the Imo state government claimed it has been paying workers in the state, N40,000 minimum wage.
The Commissioner for Information, Public Orientation and Strategy, Declan Emelumba, while reacting to what he described as an untrue and fallacious allegation by the National Secretariat of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, alleging that Imo was among states not paying minimum wage.
Emelumba noted that “apart from Imo State paying the thirty thousand wage since 2020, it has gone ahead to add another ten thousand, thus paying its workers N40,000 minimum wage.
WORKERS’ NOT RECEIVING UP TO #30,000 EVERY MONTH IN IMO
Reacting to the claim by the Imo government that the State is paying workers #40,000 every month, a civil servant under the Imo Ministry of Education who spoke to our Correspondent in strict confidence, revealed that even the already existing 30,000 minimum wage payment hasn’t been stable.
”Months ago, junior workers received #33,000 but currently, a person I know at level 4 in the Ministry of Education received #29,000, “he said.
He told our correspondent that the claim of #40,000 minimum wage payment by the Imo government is just a political statement, which is not true.
When our correspondent reached out to the current Nigeria Labour Congress Chairman in Imo State, Dr George Ofoegbu said he didn’t know if the state is paying #40,000 minimum wage as the Commissioner claimed.
Dr Ofoegbu stated that the claim by Emelumba would be subjected to investigation.
He said, ” The government has said it’s paying #40,000 to workers, so what I need to do to investigate on that and find out whether this is true. I’m aware that sometime ago, the Imo government added an extra #10,000 to the #30,000 minimum wage, I’m also aware that the former leadership of the NLC confirmed in Imo confirmed that they have agreed with the government on the implementation of the #30,000 minimum wage for the junior workers, so what’s remaining is the consequential adjustment.
”The government have made their position known but it’s now left for the NLC to stand on that and then find out if this is true.
When asked if the Imo State government is currently paying workers the agreed #39,000 minimum wage, Mr Ofoegbu refused to provide direct answers to the simple question.
He concluded that his main focus is only on the implementation of the new minimum wage.
When contacted the Imo state commissioner for information on why the government is yet to implement the new minimum wage after one month it was approved, Hon. Declan Emelumba didn’t respond to calls nor reply to text messages sent to him as at press time.
The Special Adviser to the Imo State Governor on public Communication, Mr Jone Onwuasoanya, told our correspondent on the telephone on Monday, that the Imo government is currently preparing the best deal for workers.
He said Governor Uzodimma was in regular discussion with Imo NLC as Imo workers are not complaining. Mr Jones noted that everything was in order.
