Organised Labour has urged Nigerians to exercise patience with the Federal and State Governments regarding the delay in implementing the newly approved minimum wage.
The workers’ union clarified that the Federal Government should not be blamed for the delay, dismissing any claims of intentional avoidance in paying the new minimum wage.
In an interview on Monday, Prof. Theophilus Ndubuaku, Deputy President of the Nigeria Labour Congress Political Commission, emphasized that the delay is due to the necessary processes required for the implementation.
President Bola Tinubu signed the new minimum wage into law on July 29, following discussions with leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria.
According to reports, only seven states—Kano, Kwara, Ogun, Borno, Jigawa, Ondo, and Abia—have established committees to implement the N70,000 minimum wage. In contrast, many other states, including Plateau, Kebbi, Sokoto, Nasarawa, and others, have yet to set up such panels.
So far, only Lagos and Edo have claimed to have commenced payment of the minimum wage, with Adamawa recently joining the list of states committed to implementing the new wage.
Ndubuaku explained that the delay is due to the complex process involved in calculating and adjusting the minimum wage across various levels of employment. However, he expressed confidence that the process could be completed by the end of August.
“We have no reason to suspect any deliberate delay. Signing the wage is just a small part of the process. There are necessary adjustments to be made across different employment levels, which takes time. The committee responsible for these adjustments is working to ensure completion by the end of the month,” Ndubuaku said.
