Fubara to Pay ₦80k as Minimum Wage? Rivers Govt Opens Up

• Governor Siminalayi Fubara of Rivers has denied reports that his administration promised to pay ₦80,000 as minimum wage to workers in the state
• In a statement on Friday, July 20, Nelson Chukwudi, the spokesperson to the governor, described the reports as fake news
• Fubara's denial came barely 24 hours after President Bola Tinubu-led federal government agreed ₦70,000 minimum wage with organised labour

Port Harcourt, Rivers - Rivers state governor Siminalayi Fubara has denied reports that he proposed a minimum wage of ₦80,000 for state and local government workers.

The governor's chief press secretary, Nelson Chukwudi, issued a statement on the issue in Port Harcourt, the state capital, on Friday, July 19.

Minimum wage: Fubara denies ₦80k report

According to The Punch, Chukwudi described the reports as "unverified claims" and "fake news" designed to create a wrong impression among the public and civil servants.

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The governor's office stated that it would not have responded to the report but for the potential harm it could cause.

He advised the public and civil servants to disregard the claims, adding that the Rivers state government would make its position on minimum wage known in due course.

Has Tinubu, labour agreed on minimum wage?

The clarification came barely 24 hours after President Bola Tinubu and the national leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) agreed on ₦70,000 as a new minimum wage.

Tinubu and the union leaders reached an agreement after back-and-forth negotiations on the next minimum wage following the expiration of ₦30,000 minimum wage on April 18, 2024.

The labour said they dropped their ₦250,000 minimum wage demand after the president agreed to pay on the condition that the fuel price would be increased.

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NLC rejects Tinubu's ₦250k minimum wage proposal

Legit.ng earlier reported that labour leaders reportedly rejected Tinubu's proposed ₦250,000 minimum wage to Nigerian workers.

Joe Ajaero, the president of the NLC, disclosed that the labour rejected the proposal because it was conditioned that the petrol price would be increased.

Ajaero disclosed that the proposal was made during the union's meeting with President Tinubu, and the union rejected it in the interest of Nigerians.

Proofreading by James Ojo Adakole, journalist and copy editor at Legit.ng.

Source: Legit.ng