Abia, Taraba, Zamfara Still Paying Outdated Wages, Defying MW Laws

Despite the excruciating economic hardship and mass suffering in the country, negotiations for a new national minimum wage have stalled, dashing workers’ hopes for a pay rise ahead of the 2024 May Day. The delay is allegedly caused by the Federal Government, which has yet to submit its proposal to the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission (NSIWC).

Meanwhile, Abia, Taraba, and Zamfara states are still in breach of the 2011 and 2019 National Minimum Wage Acts, paying workers below the stipulated minimum wage. Local government workers and primary school teachers in Zamfara are still receiving a meager ₦7,000 and ₦6,500 as minimum wage, respectively.

Due to the non-compliance of Abia, Taraba, and Zamfara states, which have failed to adhere to the mandated ₦18,000 and ₦30,000 minimum wage, the labor union is poised to challenge any governor who postpones implementing the new salary, effective April 1, 2024, following agreements reached with the federal government.

With negotiations at a standstill, workers’ hopes for a pay rise ahead of the 2024 May Day celebrations have been dashed, as the new minimum wage, which was expected to take effect on April 1, remains elusive.

Organized Labour has submitted a demand for a ₦615,000 minimum wage, while the Organized Private Sector (OPS) has also sent in its proposal. However, it is unclear if the federal government has submitted its proposal.

The immediate past President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Ayuba Wabba, expressed frustration over the delay and non-implementation of the minimum wage by some state governments and private sector employers during his time. He revealed that the NLC had contacted a lawyer to prosecute Taraba, Zamfara, and Abia states for refusing to implement the ₦30,000 national minimum wage, but the process was stalled due to the affected state councils’ failure to provide required documents, such as pay slips, to prove non-implementation. Despite efforts to enforce the law, some state councils have hindered progress.

The Labour centers, NLC and TUC, presented a joint minimum wage demand to the Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage (TCNMW) through the NSIWC last month, contrary to their earlier proposals during the zonal public hearings.

But there is a contradiction in the demands presented by Labour, as the joint presentation to the Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage contradicts previous proposals made during zonal public hearings.

As negotiations remain at an impasse and some states continue to flout wage laws, workers across Nigeria face prolonged economic uncertainty and hardship. The need for swift action to address these issues is paramount to alleviate the suffering of the workforce and ensure fair compensation in line with national standards.