Minimum wage: Gombe governor laments over salary payments
- Gombe government says it won't be able to pay the new minimum wage
- According to the state governor, he can't mint money to pay salaries
- This comes as labour union is demanding for payment of a new minimum wage
The governor of Gombe state Muhammad Yahaya has declared that his administration can not pay the new minimum wage of N30,000 minimum to workers in the state.
The governor disclosed this on Channels TV.
“The situation is like everywhere else. Our own is terribly worse because as a state, if you check through the revenue table, Gombe is virtually second to the last.
“I think we only top Nasarawa and Ekiti or we go virtually at the same level. There’s no way I can just print money and come and give to the people,” he said.
Meanwhile, Legit.ng had reported that the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) directed any of its state chapters to proceed on industrial action if negotiations are not going as planned as regards the new minimum wage.
President of the NLC, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, gave the directive in Abuja on Tuesday, February 4.
He said 15 states have signed an agreement with labour while an agreement has been reached but yet to be signed in Cross River, Enugu and Sokoto.
According to him, negotiation is ongoing in 17 states while implementation of the minimum wage and consequential agreement had begun in 13 states, and implementation for levels one to six had commenced in three states.
He added that four states are on the awaiting implementation status, while 16 states are yet to begin implementation.
The minimum wage issue has been a hot topic on social media in recent weeks.
Bernard Chinenye Ezeh wrote on Twitter: "All our politicians should start collecting minimum wage...with no allowance.; That will be the first step to Nigeria progress."
Okonkwo Samuel wrote: "Nigeria governments are insensitive to the plights of the people. Everything that benefits people takes forever to accomplish."
Journalist Alawode-James Olajumoke wrote: "If Nigeria is too poor to provide infrastructure for citizens to thrive; then Nigeria is too poor to pay government officials millions!
You can’t be a RICH employee of POOR citizens! Go do private business, where no one will question your pay or earn minimum wage too."
Morris Monye wrote: "New Zealand's minimum wage is N6,372 every hour. An 8-5 job gives you over N57k daily. Calculate that in a month. This is a minimum wage. It may not be fair to compare with Nigeria but that should show us that it can be done. It can be achieved."
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FG to Pay Workers N30,000? - Nigeria Street Gist | Legit TV
Source: Legit.ng
