Minimum wage: Ekiti, Labour sign agreement for N70,000

• Union leaders want implementation to begin Nov
• Benue promises to pay N75,000, clear salary arrears
• Wike approves N70,000 for FCTA workers

Ekiti State Government and labour leaders, yesterday, signed an agreement to pay N70,000 as a new minimum wage for workers.It, however, kept mum on the date for the commencement of payment.

The state’s Head of Service, Dr Folakemi Olomojobi, signed on behalf of the government, while the Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Kolapo Olatunde; his counterparts from the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Sola Adigun and the Joint Negotiating Council (JNC), Femi Ajoloko, signed on behalf of the workers.

Olomojobi explained that the 13-member committee had met for some months, negotiated and ruminated before arriving at the new salary structure. She said that the minimum wage approved by the state was significant compared with other states because it accommodates consequential adjustments across all categories of workers, both at state and local council service while pensioners were not left out of the increment.

Responding, the labour leaders said the minimum wage table approved by the state government was one of the best in the southwestern states.

RELATEDLY, Benue State Governor, Hyacinth Alia, has pledged to clear the three-month backlog of salary arrears and pay a stipulated 75, 000 minimum wage to civil servants.

Alia gave the promise through his Chief Press Secretary, Tersoo Kula, after a meeting with labour leaders at the state secretariat in Makurdi. The governor said that the new wage regime would commence in November as well as the payment of the three months salary arrears.

ALSO, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, yesterday, said that the administration had approved the payment of N70,000 as minimum wage for workers.

Acting Head of the Civil Service of the FCT, Grace Adayilo, who disclosed this on behalf of the minister, said that Wike had also approved payment of three months arrears for all staff of the administration with effect from November 2024.