By Abigail Philip David
The Bayelsa State Government has approved an N80,000 minimum wage for local government staff following demands from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC).
The government also pledged to include salary differentials from November’s payments in December’s payroll, pending the conclusion of discussions on the payment structure for the new wage.
The announcement was made on Tuesday by the state’s Acting Governor, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, during a meeting at the Government House in Yenagoa with the state’s minimum wage implementation committee and chairpersons of the eight local government councils. The meeting was attended by representatives of the NLC, TUC, Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), and Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, among others.
Ewhrudjakpo called on labor unions to present their computations for consequential adjustments, harmonize them with the government’s template, and ensure the payment of differentials alongside December salaries.
He emphasized that the decision to implement the new minimum wage was reached unanimously by all stakeholders, including local government chairpersons.
Addressing concerns about pensioners, the Acting Governor said the state had approved a N10,000 increase across the board for retirees while also considering the federal circular on pension increments. However, he highlighted that Bayelsa’s financial situation prevents it from adopting the federal government’s template for minimum wage implementation.
Ewhrudjakpo reassured civil servants of the government’s commitment to their welfare, noting that Bayelsa pays competitive wages compared to other South-South states.
> “Firstly, we have agreed that the minimum wage for local governments should also be N80,000. However, we cannot adopt the Federal Government’s consequential adjustment rates because they are higher and funded differently. Federal authorities have access to resources unavailable to states and local governments,” Ewhrudjakpo said.
He urged labor unions to consider the broader financial needs of the state, including funding for social services like healthcare, education, security, and infrastructure.
> “Resources coming to the state or local government are not solely for politicians or civil servants. We must remember that the majority of Bayelsa’s population depends on social services funded by these same resources,” he added.
In response, NLC Chairman Comrade Simon Barnabas expressed gratitude for the wage approval but urged the government to adopt the federal template for consequential adjustments and approve a N32,000 increment for pensioners, as outlined in the recent federal circular.
The development marks a significant step in addressing workers’ demands while balancing the state’s financial capacity.
