Why we can’t start immediate payment of N70,000 minimum wage – Gombe state

The Gombe State Government has said it is waiting for the salary table from the Federal Government before commencing acting on the N70,000 new national minimum wage to workers.

Deputy Governor of the state, Dr Manassah Daniel Jatau, stated this after a meeting of the Tripartite Committee on Minimum Wage Negotiation held at the conference hall of his office.

Represented by the State Head of Civil Service, Alhaji Kasimu Ahmed Abdullahi, the Deputy Governor explained that the state is highly committed to ensuring that civil servants in the state enjoy the N70, 000 new national minimum wage.

Dr Jatau, who is also the chairman of the tripartite committee on minimum wage negotiation, said Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya has set a machinery in motion and the standing committee has been fine-tuning to see to the implementation of the new minimum wage.

“The state government has set the machinery for the implementation of the new national minimum wage. Let me assure you that Governor Yahaya is fully determined to pay the minimum wage. In fact, he is one of the governors on the forefront of paying the new minimum wage,” he said.

He added that the governor has been magnanimous to willingly pay a N10,000 palliative in form of a wage award since September 2023, across board to all civil servants in the state to cushion the effect of fuel subsidy removal.

“This has automatically brought the minimum wage to N40,000 when other states couldn’t pay the N30,000 minimum wage. The additional 10,000 naira was because of his concern, feeling and regard for civil servants.”

The deputy governor, however, pointed out that the negotiation committee has decided to separate the monthly salaries from the N10,000 palliative pending when conclusion is reached, “in order to prepare the Civil servants on knowing their exact salaries when the minimum wage is finally agreed upon.

“Effective from this August, the normal salary will be paid, then after two days the N10,000 palliative will be paid to help the workers know their actual salary and this will continue until the new minimum wage is agreed upon.

“We are now waiting for the salary table from the federal government before we commence the negotiation. Once we reach an agreement the implementation will begin and the 10,000 naira palliative will stop,” Jatau explained.

On his part, the state Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Comrade Yusuf Aish Bello, said the tripartite committee after a meeting had agreed to wait for the implementation in the state, until the new minimum wage table as approved by the federal government is released.

Daily Trust