Since Tuesday, the atmosphere in Yola, the capital of Adamawa State, has been filled with jubilation following Governor Ahmadu Fintiri’s decision to implement the new minimum wage of N70,000 approved by the Federal Government.
Arewa PUNCH reported that Fintiri reached an agreement with the state chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress to adjust the workers’ salaries in line with the new minimum wage.
The Chairman of the NLC state chapter, Comrade Emmanuel Fashe, revealed the governor’s decision to the press on Monday after a three-hour closed-door meeting with him.
He mentioned that state workers would receive their August salaries based on the new approved minimum wage, while local government employees would have to wait until September for the adjustments.
Fashe also explained that the 2019 consequential adjustment template would be used to calculate the new wage percentages, and the Accountant General’s office had been assigned to update the August payroll.
As a local government worker, Fashe mentioned that council employees might have to wait until September for their salary modifications, subject to the completion of the necessary review by the National Salaries, Incomes, and Wages Commission.
During the May Day celebration in 2024, the governor had pledged to comply with whatever amount the Federal Government and NLC agreed upon.
Upon Fintiri’s commitment to implement the minimum wage, Arewa PUNCH noted that the streets of Yola were flooded with workers after the NLC chairman shared the good news on state radio soon after speaking with the press.
Governor Fintiri has become the first out of the 36 governors to agree to the national minimum wage implementation.
While the Federal Government was paying ₦30,000 as the minimum wage, Fintiri had been paying ₦32,000 to Adamawa State workers as their minimum wage.