Gov Obaseki Announces N70,000 Minimum Wage For Edo Govt's Workers

 

Governor Godwin Obaseki, has approved a new minimum wage of N70,000 for civil servants on the payroll of Edo State Government as from 1st of May, 2024 , ahead of the celebration of this year's workers' day celebration on Wednesday 

Governor Obaseki on Monday announced the increment from the current N40,000 minimum wage being paid to the workers  ,while commissioning the new Labour House in Benin city, the state capital 

The increment was coming at a time, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) are  still battling with the Federal Government  over the urgent need for increment in  the minimum wage to match increasing national inflation and skyrocketing food inflation.

The inflation rate for March 2024 hit 33.2 per cent from 31.70 per cent in February, according to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS). Food inflation also rose to 31.7 per cent in March from 30 per cent in February.

The NLC and  TUC had demanded N615,000 as the new minimum wage for workers in the country.

The labour unions’ agreement was after President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, through Vice President Kashim Shettima, on January 30, set up a 37-member panel at the Council Chamber of the State House in Abuja.

With its membership cutting across federal and state governments, the private sector, and organised labour, the panel was tasked with recommending a new national minimum wage.

At the inaugural meeting of the panel, Shettima urged members to ‘speedily’ arrive at a resolution, and submit their reports early as the current N30,000 minimum wage expired at the end of March 2024.

It is however not certain, if President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will announce the new minimum wage as expected on Wednesday to mark this year's International Workers Day in the country