According to the report, eight months after the Federal Government initiated the payment of a N35,000 wage award on top of the N30,000 minimum wage for workers, urging state governments to follow suit, 15 states are yet to implement the directive, while seven have paid briefly and halted.
The wage award was introduced to alleviate economic hardships faced by citizens until a new minimum wage could be fully implemented.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) criticized the refusal of some states to comply with the wage award, labeling it as highly insensitive. The NLC highlighted the plight of suffering workers due to what they described as anti-poor policies of the government.
Currently, 15 states are paying wage awards or salary increments ranging from N10,000 to N40,000 to their workers. States failing to pay include one from the South-East, four from the South-South, three from the North-East, two from the North-Central, and five from the North-West.
Among the states that initiated payments but stopped after one to four months are Delta, Niger, Plateau, Kaduna, Bauchi, and Nasarawa. On the other hand, states consistently paying are Lagos, Edo, Bayelsa, Imo, Enugu, Anambra, Ebonyi, Ondo, Osun, Ogun, Oyo, Ekiti, Kano, Kwara, Cross River, and Taraba.
During a visit to Minna, Niger State, in March, President Bola Tinubu implored the 36 state governors to kickstart the payment of wage awards, emphasizing that it would help alleviate national hardships. Governors Hyacinth Alia (Benue), Babajide Sanwo-Olu (Lagos), and AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq (Kwara) were present at the event.
Directly addressing Abdulrazaq, who chairs the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF), Tinubu stated, "I have been paying wage awards pending the new minimum wage determination. Let all the sub-nationals start paying that." He continued, "The wage award, combined with current earnings, will alleviate public burdens. I am not giving an order; I am appealing to you sub-nationals. It's a relief to the people."
Despite Tinubu's plea, many states have yet to implement the wage awards for their workers. In Delta State, the Commissioner for Information, Dr. Ifeanyi Osuoza, mentioned that a committee would be set up to address wage-related matters. Governor Sheriff Oborevwori announced during Workers Day that the committee would analyze these issues to align with labor and workers' demands.
When questioned about including the wage awards in addition to the minimum wage, Osuoza responded, "The committee will address any issues concerning worker remuneration."
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