News Correspondent
Nosa George
Teachers, LG Workers in Zamfara, Cross River, Abia, Others Still Await New Wage
The National President of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Alhaji Haruna Kankara, has revealed that nearly 20 states have not begun implementing the N70,000 minimum wage for local government employees and primary school teachers.
States yet to comply include Yobe, Gombe, Zamfara, Kaduna, Imo, Ebonyi, Cross River, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Borno, and several others.
Speaking with our Effizzie Correspondent , Kankara noted that while some states have started paying the new wage to state-level employees, they have left out LG workers and teachers. Despite ongoing dialogue with these state governments, progress has been slow.
“Approximately 20 states are yet to implement the new minimum wage. Some only applied it to state workers, excluding local government staff and primary school teachers. We’ve continued to engage them and push for full compliance,” Kankara said.
He also addressed the issue of LG autonomy, stating that the Central Bank of Nigeria has yet to issue a circular to allow councils to open independent accounts, a move critical to the autonomy process.
President Bola Tinubu signed the N70,000 minimum wage bill into law on July 29, 2024, more than doubling the previous N30,000 wage amid widespread economic challenges.
While states like Lagos, Rivers, Bayelsa, Niger, Enugu, Akwa Ibom, Abia, Adamawa, Anambra, Jigawa, Gombe, Ogun, Kebbi, Ondo, and Kogi have begun implementing the new wage, many others lag behind.
In Kwara State, NULGE President Seun Oyinlade confirmed that local government workers began receiving the new wage in October 2024. However, he raised concerns about heavy taxation, which has significantly reduced take-home pay. A three-month tax relief granted by the government expired in December 2024, and deductions resumed in January.
NLC Chairman in Kwara, Muritala Olayinka, corroborated the wage implementation but echoed the call for an extended tax holiday, noting that a request has been submitted to the governor.
In contrast, teachers in Sokoto reported successful implementation. Abdullahi Umar said that all government workers began receiving the increased salaries in January, despite delays linked to FAAC disbursements.
An LG employee, Usman Abdullah, said their wages were increased by N50,000 but noted that the previous N30,000 minimum wage had never been implemented at the LG level.
Meanwhile, data from the Nigeria Union of Teachers revealed that some states still owe teachers the previous N30,000 minimum wage set in 2019. These states include Zamfara, Yobe, Taraba, Sokoto, Niger, Kogi, Kaduna, Imo, Gombe, Cross River, Borno, Benue, Adamawa, and Abia.
