Twenty-seven states and the Federal Capital Territory have yet to set up committees to implement the recently approved N70,000 minimum wage.

The states are Plateau, Kebbi, Sokoto, Nasarawa, Bayelsa, Delta, Osun, Ekiti, Zamfara, Benue, Enugu, Taraba, Gombe, Kogi, Enugu, Adamawa, Niger, Anambra, Imo, Ebonyi, Oyo, Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Katsina, Kaduna, Cross River and Yobe.

However, seven other states — Kano, Kwara, Ogun, Borno, Jigawa, Ondo, and Abia — have set up implementation committees. Only Lagos and Edo claimed to have started paying the minimum wage.

Recall that President Bola Tinubu signed the new minimum wage into law on July 29, 2024, after meeting with leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria.

Lagos, Edo

Speaking with our correspondent on Saturday, the Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, said the state had been paying more than the minimum wage before it was passed into law.

He said, “When you look at the minimum wage that was paid in Lagos before, the least state worker earned about N77,000. So, if they said the minimum wage is now N70,000, we have no problem with it at all because Lagos has been paying more than that, and we will continue to pay.”

The Edo State Government also said it had started paying the minimum wage.

Kwara, Kano, others set up committees

On August 1, 2024, Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq of Kwara State, who also doubles as the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum, set up an 18-member tripartite committee to work out modalities for the new minimum wage payment.

The Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Rafiu Ajakaye, said the committee, comprising representatives from the state government, labour unions, and the Organised Private Sector, had started meeting.

Governor Abba Yusuf of Kano also set up an advisory committee on the new minimum wage, while the Jigawa State Government set up a 10-man minimum wage committee on Thursday, August 8.

Similarly, the Borno State Government recently inaugurated a 22-member panel, while the Ondo State government said its committee on the new minimum wage was working hard to ensure its implementation.

The Oyo State Commissioner for Information, Dotun Oyelade, also said the state set up a committee a few months ago to advise the government on the matter.

He said, “Oyo State government set up a committee a few months ago, comprising labour stakeholders and government officials, to advise on the implementation of the minimum wage.”

The Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, on Friday, said the state set up a committee before the Federal Government signed the bill into law.

“We are making provisions for the salary increase in line with the new minimum wage,” he added.

We can’t pay – Gombe, Kogi

However, the Gombe State Governor and Chairman of the Northern States Governors’ Forum, Inuwa Yahaya, said the lean allocation to the state would make it difficult for him to pay the new wage.

Speaking on Tuesday during a meeting with stakeholders on the nationwide protest, ‘#EndBadGovernance, Yahaya said, “I cannot pay the N70,000 minimum wage, and I suspect many other states are in the same predicament.”

Similarly, the Kogi State Commissioner for Finance, Ashiwaju Ashiru Idris, said no date had been fixed for the implementation of the minimum wage by the state.

Responding to our correspondent’s inquiry, the commissioner said he had no information about when the state would commence payment.

We’ll negotiate – Plateau, Kebbi

Plateau State Commissioner for Information, Musa Ashoms, however, said the government would make its position known on the matter after negotiating with organised labour.

The Kebbi State Governor, Dr Nasir Idris, also said his administration was ready to have a fruitful discussion with the state union leader on the new minimum wage.

His Chief Press Secretary, Ahmed Idris, while speaking with one of our correspondents on the telephone, said, “By the grace of God, our governor will sit with the labour union and come out with modalities to ensure that he puts a smile on the faces of the civil servants.”

During a recent town hall meeting on the nationwide protest, Sokoto State Governor, Ahmed Aliyu, also promised to pay the new minimum wage.

He said, “On our part, I want to assure you that the Sokoto State Government is ready to implement the new National minimum wage as approved by Mr. President. Undoubtedly, our country is facing quite a number of challenges that include economic downturn, inflation, cost of living, as well as insecurity, among other challenges.”

Speaking with our correspondent in Lafia, the Nasarawa State capital, on Wednesday, the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Abdullahi Sule on Public Affairs, Peter Ahemba, explained that the state government had rolled out plans to begin the payment.

The Chief Press Secretary to the Bayelsa State governor, Daniel Alabrah, also told our correspondent on Thursday in Yenagoa that Governor Douye Diri had earlier in the year, during the Workers’ Day celebrations, declared that the state would pay any amount agreed upon by the Federal Government and labour.

But he pointed out that the state government may not pay any arrears because the new minimum wage bill was only recently signed into law by the president.

We’ll set up committee soon – Osun, Delta, Benue

Speaking with Sunday PUNCH, the spokesperson for the Osun State Governor, Rasheed Olawale, said a committee for the implementation of the minimum wage would be set up next week.

He said, “Mr Governor has before now said Osun will pay the minimum wage as he is committed to the welfare of the workers and the people generally. A committee on the implementation of the minimum wage will be set up next week. We are committed to it.”

The Delta State Government also said it would set up a committee for the new minimum wage.

The state Commissioner for Information, Dr. Ifeanyi Osuoza, stated this in an interview with one of our correspondents on Saturday.

Governor Hyacinth Alia of Benue also said that his administration would pay the new minimum wage, and block every leakage to ensure its smooth implementation.

PUNCH