According to a report by Daily post news on Monday, 5, 08, The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called on governors who are unable to implement the new N70,000 minimum wage to resign from office. This statement follows Gombe State Governor Inuwa Yahaya’s recent declaration that his administration cannot afford the new national minimum wage.
Governor Yahaya, who is also the Chairman of the Northern Governors’ Forum, made his remarks during a meeting with labor leaders, civil society organizations, and traders associations at the Government House in Gombe.
In response, Benson Upah, Head of Public Relations for the NLC, criticized the governor’s stance, saying, “He should quit if he cannot pay. He took an oath of office to uphold the law and not to break it.”
The Trade Union Congress has yet to release an official statement regarding the governor’s position.
Last week, President Bola Tinubu signed the new Minimum Wage Act into law, setting the national minimum wage at N70,000. This decision followed nearly two weeks of negotiations between the President and organized labor unions, who initially demanded a minimum wage of over N250,000 per month.
On July 18, after months of discussions among the Federal Government, organized labor, and the private sector, a consensus was reached on the N70,000 monthly wage. Subsequently, on July 15, the Federal Executive Council directed the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning to prepare a bill to amend the 2024 Budget.
A week later, President Tinubu requested the Senate to amend the 2024 Appropriation Act and the 2023 Finance Act, proposing an increase in the budget by N6.2 trillion. This request was addressed to the Senate President and presented during a plenary session, in line with Section 58 (2) of the Constitution.
The Federal Government has reassured the public that compliance with the new minimum wage will be managed effectively, emphasizing that the extensive negotiations and consensus-building efforts included all relevant stakeholders.
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