Labour wants new minimum wage implemented in Kwara

The Kwara State chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has stated that it is leaving no stone unturned to ensure authorities implement the new minimum wage.

Speaking at the World Teachers’ Day event in Ilorin, the NLC president, Comrade Murtala Olayinka, revealed that the committee set up by the state government on the minimum wage is working to ensure workers in the state reap the benefits of their labour.

“I urge teachers in the state to remain patient. At the end of the day, we will achieve something substantial that will make everyone happy,” he added.

Also speaking at the event, Kwara State Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Yusuf Agboola, praised the state government for the prompt payment of teachers’ salaries, the cash-backing of the 2021 and 2022 Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM) promotions, and the recent approval of 2023 and 2024 promotions.

Yusuf, however, noted that “the incorrect implementation of the 27.5 per cent Teachers Specific Allowance (TSA) for TRN-certified and 21 per cent for non-TRN-certified teachers has been a major issue for teachers in the state.

“This problem is unique to Kwara State in the entire federation,” he said.

He also stressed that the non-implementation of November 2023 palliatives for TESCOM teachers and the non-implementation of annual increment steps for SUBEB teachers over several years are additional significant challenges.

“The failure to recruit more teachers for senior secondary schools, despite the mass retirements between 2022 and 2024, and the non-payment of rural allowance for teachers remain key issues.

“The government has yet to adopt the 65/40 years harmonised retirement age for teachers in Nigeria,” he lamented.

Chairman of the Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Professor Shehu Adaramaja, also reassured that teachers would be accommodated under the new minimum wage.