The Director General of Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA), Adewale Oyerinde says the 36 states of the federation have no justification for not paying the new minimum wage.
Oyerinde said state governments have received enough support from the Federal Government to be able to implement the N70,000 minimum wage signed into law in July 2024.
The signing of the new minimum wage bill into law raised Nigerian workers’ wages from N30,000 to N70,000.
After President Bola Tinubu assented to the bill, many state governments pledged to implement it, while others raised concerns about their financial capacity.
However, while to journalists on Tuesday, January 7, 2025, Oyerinde dispelled the claim that some states may not have funds to pay N70,000, stressing that the minimum wage has come to stay.
“We have moved away from the context of hope, the reality now is what we should face. The reality for all stakeholders whether at the federal, state or local government is that N70,000 has come to stay and everybody should align with the law except those that are exempted,” the NECA DG said.
He said funds should not be an excuse for any state because the Federal Government has increased their allocations.
He said, “The issue of having funds to pay the N70,000 also does not arise because it is no longer hidden that the Federal Government has been consistently supporting the state governments.”
“The allocations to state governments have increased proportionately. So, with a little fiscal discipline, no state should complain that they can’t pay N70,000 as approved by the president.”
Oyerinde said if state governors refuse to pay the new minimum wage, the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) would have to change their strategy for engagement to get them to pay.
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