Yusuf Aish Bello, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Chairman in Gombe State, has called for full N30,000 minimum wage implementation, emphasizing the need for equitable enforcement across all sectors in the state.
During an interview at the May Day celebration-themed “People First” held at Pantami Stadium, Yusuf expressed concerns over the incomplete implementation of the minimum wage in the state.
He highlighted disparities, noting that while the health sector reached 65%, other civil service sectors lagged. Aish shed light on challenges faced by local government workers, revealing that some areas struggled to meet even 10% of the minimum wage.
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“The health sector is at 65 per cent, while other civil service sectors are yet to reach 100 per cent implementation.”
Yusuf stressed the importance of transitioning to a living wage amidst economic hardships, urging for the outstanding wage balance to be settled and calling for tax waivers until full implementation.
Gombe state is one of the states that have not fully implemented the N30,000 minimum wage signed five years ago.
Inflation of goods in markets across the nation forced Nigerian workers to call for an imminent increment of the minimum wage from the current N30,000 to over N600,000. However, some states are yet to implement the current wage peg approved in 2019.
Meanwhile, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Tuesday announced that a 35% hike to federal government workers salaries. NLC faulted the increase, insisting N615,000 minimum wage considering the prevailing inflation.
