Gombe Governor’s ₦70k Wage Rejection Sparks NLC Showdown threat

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has threatened to take action after Governor Muhammad Yahaya of Gombe State announced that the state would be unable to implement the newly approved ₦70,000 minimum wage.

President Bola Tinubu had signed the new minimum wage bill into law on Monday, making it mandatory for all states to comply with the ₦70,000 payment. However, during a stakeholders’ meeting on Tuesday at the Gombe State Government House, Governor Yahaya expressed doubts about the state’s ability to meet this obligation. He remarked, “I cannot pay the ₦70,000 minimum wage, and I suspect many other states are in the same predicament.”

In response, the NLC Secretary in Gombe State, Ibrahim Fika, stated in an interview on Wednesday that the governor’s declaration could provoke a renewed struggle by organized labor. Fika noted that the NLC is awaiting further instructions from the national headquarters regarding the wage adjustment. He emphasized that the new minimum wage has become law after passing through legislative scrutiny and receiving presidential assent.

“We don’t see the reason why a governor would claim he can’t afford to pay ₦70,000. In fact, we expect governors to pay even more, not less. We will do everything in our power to ensure that Gombe workers receive the new minimum wage by God’s grace,” Fika asserted.

The situation sets the stage for a potential standoff between the state government and labor unions, as the NLC vows to push for full implementation of the new wage law.