Bayelsa TUC Chairman Blames Wages Commission Over Minimum Wages Implementation Delay

By Inegbagha Majesty

 Chairman of Trade Union Congress (TUC), Bayelsa State Council, Comrade Laye Julius, has blamed the delay on the implementation of the N70,000 new minimum wage in the state as a result of the non- release of the consequential adjustment template by the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission.

 

Comrade Laye Julius

Comrade Julius made the assertion on Wednesday during a telephone interview with Global Overseer in Yenagoa.

According to him, the state governor, Senator Douye Diri had set up the committee for the minimum wage implementation in the state since last May Day(1st May) celebration  waiting the federal government template.

He described the commencement of payment of minimum wage by some states of the federation without the template from the National Salaries Incomes and Wages Commission as not genuine minimum wage.

The labour leader in the state, said emphatically that the state will wait to receive original template circular for the consequential increase of the payment structure and do everything rightly cover all grade levels in the service.

It would be recalled that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu signed the new minimum wage into law on 29th July, 2024 and saddled the rest of the work to the National Salaries Incomes and Wages Commission  to produce the increase template for payment, but the delay is worrisome.

Global Overseer learnt that workers across the states of the country  and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, are anxious when to begin enjoy their newly approved minimum wages to cushion the unbearable   effects of the prevailing economic hardship in the country.

They warned the National Salaries Incomes and Wages Commission to shun discrepancies as its began the junior workers first instead from Grade level 16 down.

Speaking to Nigerian Tribune recently in Abuja,  the two labour centres who lead the labour union movement in the country, Trade Union Congress (TUC) and Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), advised the federal government to expedite action towards ensuring commencement of the new minimum wage implementation without further delay.

Already, in Delta state, the NLC  state Chairman, Goodluck Ofobruku was quoted as boosted in Businessday publication of August 21, 2024, assuring workers that funds for the new minimum wage have already been budgeted, and arrears would be paid once the circular is received.