The Nigerian Labour Congress un Kebbi and Akwa Ibom States has praised the respective state governors for approving new minimum wages of N75,000 and N80,000 for civil servants, following intense negotiations.
The decisions came after two days of discussions between union leaders and government officials in both states.
Kebbi State Governor Nasir Idris officially approved a new minimum wage of N75,000 for civil servants on Wednesday.
This approval follows negotiations with union representatives, which culminated in a wage package that exceeds the previous proposals.
In a statement issued after the meeting, Murtala Usman, the Kebbi State NLC Chairman, commended the governor’s decision to select the highest of the union’s three proposed figures.
Usman explained, “We submitted three tables with proposed wages of N72,000, N73,000, and N75,000. The governor chose the highest option, demonstrating his commitment to the welfare of workers in the state.” The governor also ensured that payment would begin promptly, instructing that civil servants receive their new wages within 72 hours. “To crown it all, the payment starts with this month’s (October) salaries, which he insisted should reach workers in the next 72 hours,” Usman added, expressing satisfaction with the prompt response.
In a similar development in Akwa Ibom State, Governor Umo Eno announced a new minimum wage of N80,000 for public sector employees.
The state’s Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Ini Ememobong, confirmed the approval in a statement, noting that the governor had also established an implementation committee to oversee the transition to the new wage structure.
Chaired by the Head of Civil Service, Effiong Essien, the committee includes key government figures and union representatives, such as the heads of the State Civil Service Commission, Local Government Service Commission, and permanent secretaries from key ministries like Finance, Labour, and Justice.
Major labour unions, including the state chairpersons of the NLC, the Trade Union Congress and the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees are also involved.
The commissioner’s statement emphasized that the committee has been tasked with submitting a detailed report within one month, ensuring the implementation of the wage increase is seamless.
TUC Chairman Dominic Abang welcomed the new wage, remarking, “I don’t want to give my full reaction yet, but I want to thank the governor for the announcement. It’s a positive step, and we’ll proceed from here.”
Meanwhile, civil servants in Sokoto State await action from their government on the matter of minimum wage increases.
The NLC leadership in the state expressed their frustration over the government’s inaction, despite the union’s multiple efforts to engage with state officials.
The NLC Secretary in Sokoto, Hamisu Hussain, noted that the union had written to the state government twice but had not received a response.
“We’re under immense pressure from workers. They’re anxious about when a new wage will be approved and how much it will be,” Hussain said.
He added that the union had set a deadline for the state government to respond by the end of the week, warning that failure to do so would prompt a different course of action from the union.
As workers in Kebbi and Akwa Ibom celebrate their new wages, Sokoto civil servants remain in limbo, hoping their government will follow suit soon.
