NLC, who had initially demanded over N250,000/month minimum wage, eventually settled for N70,000 after weeks of negotiations with the FG
By Kehinde Okeowo
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has urged governors who are unable to meet the new N70,000 minimum wage to step down from office.
Last week, President Bola Tinubu signed the new Minimum Wage Act into law, officially setting the minimum wage at N70,000.
His decision followed nearly two weeks of negotiations between the President and the organised labour unions, who had initially demanded over N250,000/month minimum wage.
The President’s action was pursuant to Section 58 (2) of the Constitution.
However, while reacting to the decision of the Federal Government to approve the amount as the new minimum wage, Gombe State governor, Inuwa Yahaya, stated that his administration cannot afford to pay the newly established wage.
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The governor, who also serves as the Chairman of the Northern Governors’ Forum, made the remark during a meeting with labour leaders, civil society organisations, and traders associations at the Government House in Gombe.
Speaking during the parley, he said, “I cannot pay the N70,000 minimum wage, and I suspect many other states are in the same predicament.”
When asked to comment on Inuwa’s position of the new minimum, the Head of Public Relations for the NLC, Benson Upah, advised the governor to resign if he can’t pay.
“He should quit if he cannot pay. He took an oath of office to uphold the law and not to break it,” Upah asserted.
Despite NLC’s position on the matter, its counterpart, the Trade Union Congress (TUC) is yet to make an official statement on the governor’s position.