The Governor of Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun, has approved a minimum wage of ₦77,000 for the lowest-paid worker in the state.
The state government announced this decision in a statement on Monday, 14 October 2024, following a meeting between government representatives led by the Secretary to the State Government, Tokunbo Talabi, and the leadership of the Organised Labour.
Talabi explained that the meeting was convened at the behest of Governor Abiodun, who instructed that no worker in the state should earn less than ₦77,000 starting from October.
The SSG stated that Prince Abiodun has good intentions for the people of the state and has taken proactive measures to alleviate their hardships. He also mentioned that the governor has urged the organised private sector to learn from this approach, as their employees are also affected by the country’s economic challenges, to enhance the overall living standards of the people in the state.
“The SSG also noted that the Governor has therefore advised that the private sector should dialogue with their relevant stakeholders to arrive at a commensurate minimum wage for the sector while he will set up a monitoring team to see how it is implemented by the private sector to ensure no one is short-changed,” the statement read in part.
After consulting with labour leaders, the State Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) Chairman, Comrade Hameed Benco, expressed the satisfaction of the organised labour in the state with the Governor’s approval of the ₦77,000, which is currently the highest in the country.
Benco pointed out that some states that have implemented the new minimum wage are paying ₦70,000, while others are paying ₦70,250 or less.
He also mentioned that the government has kindly approved the labour’s proposal and that the new basic salary should not be subject to taxation.
Similarly, Comrade Akeem Lasisi of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and his counterpart, Comrade Isa Olude of the JNC, praised the government for its worker-friendly approach.
They indicated that adjustments for pensioners and other related matters will be announced after consulting with the relevant stakeholders.