Organized Labour has urged Nigerians to be patient with both Federal and State Governments due to delays in implementing the new minimum wage.
The workers’ union has cleared the Federal Government of any wrongdoing, stating that it would be unjust to assume there is a deliberate attempt to avoid paying the new minimum wage.
Prof. Theophilus Ndubuaku, Deputy President of the Nigeria Labour Congress Political Commission, shared this in an interview on Monday.
President Bola Tinubu signed the new minimum wage into law on July 29, following discussions with the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria leaders.
According to Naijalog, only seven states—Kano, Kwara, Ogun, Borno, Jigawa, Ondo, and Abia—have established implementation committees for the newly approved ₦70,000 minimum wage.
States that have yet to form implementation panels include Plateau, Kebbi, Sokoto, Nasarawa, Bayelsa, Delta, Osun, Ekiti, Zamfara, Benue, Enugu, Taraba, Gombe, Kogi, Adamawa, Niger, Anambra, Imo, Ebonyi, Oyo, Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Katsina, Kaduna, Cross River, and Yobe.
Lagos and Edo have reportedly begun paying the new minimum wage, and the Adamawa government has also committed to implementing it.
Ndubuaku acknowledged the possibility of a slight delay due to the complexities involved in implementing the ₦70,000 wage but expressed hope that the process will be completed by the end of August.
He said, “We have no reason to suspect that (deliberate delay). In a real sense, signing the wage is just a small component of the main activity. There is something we call consequential adjustment. That involves the calculation of the minimum wage from level one, step one. From there, we will move from stage one to 13 all the way to level 16.
“So it is something that may take some time. Again, they are not going to compile them alone. There are templates for compiling it. But they must also carry us along. I believe you are aware there is a committee that is supposed to carry out the necessary adjustments. We expect it should be completed before the end of the month.”