“Governor Uzodimma, has approved a new minimum wage of N104,000 for civil servants just as the Ebonyi State Government has raised minimum wage to N90,000 while N150,000 is being demanded by the NLC, Lagos State Chapter for workers in the state”
By Nudoiba Ojen
The Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress, Ekiti State, Olatunde Kolapo, has said that workers in the state too will appreciate increase in their minimum wage as obtainable in some states.
Kolapo, who said that such was in view of the fact that the present economic situation had eroded the present N70,000 minimum wage, however, said that the Governor Biodun Oyebanji administration, being a listening government, was taking note of happenings in other states.
Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodimma, has approved a new minimum wage of N104,000 for civil servants in the state just as the Ebonyi State Government has raised its minimum wage from N70,000 to N90,000 while the NLC, Lagos State Chapter is demanding a new minimum wage of N150,000 for workers in the state.
The Ekiti NLC leader, Kolapo, said, “The recent increase in minimum wage by some states is goodwill on the part of the state governments. I believe that the government we have in Ekiti has listening ears and it is aware of what is going on in other states. I believe the government will also like to borrow from those states that are doing good.
“But it is good to note that Ekiti State’s implementation of N70,000 minimum wage was done perfectly. No short-change. That increment was from that is the position of law. The position of law has been attended to. The remnant is now goodwill from the government on how it wants to better people’s lot. So it’s a good thing.
“We will also appreciate it if something positive in that line (minimum wage increase) is done for workers of Ekiti State. More so that the economy has eroded everything that has already been given to us. There’s no doubt about that,” he said.
The NLC chairman, who did not state the amount that Ekiti workers would want as minimum wage, said, “Nobody can say this should be the boundary since it’s not a legal thing. This is not a thing that is prescribed to you. I may end up saying N150,000 like Lagos NLC and probably the governor wants to do more than that.
“Let me not put a limit to what God can do through the government of Ekiti State. The governor is aware of what is going on in other places and I believe he would like to do better than what they have done,” the NLC state chairman said.
