Delta State Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC have said the payment of the ₦70,000 minimum wage should begin immediatly the circular is received.
The NLC Chairman in the state, Goodluck Ofobruku and his counterpart in the Trade Union Congress TUC, Martins Bolum stated this at the 5th edition of the Journalist Hangout, tagged “Parley to Party,” organized by the Delta State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, in Asaba, the states capital.
Ofobruku and Bolum mentioned that the unions have instructed state officials to halt the payment emphasizing that the labour unions is yet to receive the enabling circular and the official commencement date from the federal government..
The NLC chairman explained that despite the approval of the new minimum wage, the previous ₦30,000 minimum wage expired on April 19, 2024, with the new wage expected to take effect from May 1, 2024.
“without the necessary federal directive, we told the Delta State government to hold off on implementation to ensure the proper process is followed.
“We asked the government to step down the issue of the new minimum wage until we see the template. As we speak, we’ve been informed that the salary adjustments for levels 1 to 5 are ready while levels 6 and above will be finalized in about two weeks.
“However, some of us objected to this phased approach because there has never been a time where implementation starts with the junior cadre first. If we start with the junior staff, it could lead to discrepancies where a Level 1 Step 1 worker earns ₦70,000, while a Level 5 worker earns ₦100,000, and a Level 8 officer earns less than ₦80,000. This could cause demotivation among workers,” Comrade Ofobruku explained.
Speaking also, the Chairman of the Delta State NUJ, Churchill Oyowe, expressed gratitude to the labour leaders for attending the event, noting that their presence highlights the critical role of the media in bridging the gap between the government and the workforce.
He emphasized that at this pivotal moment when the implementation of the new minimum wage is a significant concern, the insights and experiences shared by labour leaders are invaluable in helping journalists gain a deeper understanding of the ongoing efforts to ensure fair and just remuneration for workers in Delta state.
