Gov Eno bows to pressure, agrees

Governor Umo Eno of Akwa Ibom State has bowed to pressure from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in the state and rescinded his decision to implement the new minimum wage after the completion of the staff audit.

After months of failed negotiations, the federal government and Organised Labour agreed on N70,000 as the new minimum wage.

The federal government in July enacted the new Minimum Wage Law, replacing the former N30,000 which expired in April after a five-year lifespan.

At the sub-national level, Lagos and Rivers State Governments approved N85,000, while other states, including Akwa Ibom and Enugu States, approved N80,000 as the new minimum wage for workers in their states.

While the Rivers State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, committed to implementing the new minimum wage from November, with arrears of October payment to be paid later, Governor Eno made no such commitment.

Citing “Japa Syndrome”, a term used to describe the exodus of Nigerians for a better life abroad as a reason for his action, Mr Eno insisted on completion of staff audits as a condition for payment and had instead offered to pay “13th month” salary to workers apparently as compensation.

“We must weed out ghost workers. Every staff member will be identified in person, and we have the technology to do that quickly. So, as soon as we finish verification payment commences,” Mr Eno said last month at the foundation-laying ceremony for Aviation Village at the Victor Attah International Airport, Uyo.

Eno bows to Labour pressure

Dissatisfied with the state government policy, the labour in the state, in a statement on Monday, signed by its chairperson, Sunny James, said the state minimum wage negotiating committee, which the governor inaugurated in October on consequential adjustments on the approved N80,000 minimum wage for workers in the state had concluded its work but the governor has not signed an agreement on effective date of commencement amidst ongoing staff verification exercise.

“If by midnight on Tuesday, the agreement is not signed with the effective date and month of commencement of payment properly indicated, all workers in the state shall commence an indefinite strike action over the non-implementation of the new wage,” Mr James said.

Mr James drew the governor’s attention to the directive of the NLC’s national leadership, which, at its meeting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, directed workers in states where governors have not implemented the new minimum wage to commence a strike on 1 December.

“But following the burial of the First Lady of the State, there was a need to shift our date for three days, and hereby direct all workers to proceed on strike on Wednesday, 4 December if the agreement is not signed by that time,” Mr James said.

Besides the strike notice, Mr James further directed workers to come out en-masse to the Government House gate along Wellington Bassey Way in Uyo on Monday for a protest demanding minimum wage payment.

In a move to avert the industrial action, Governor Eno rescinded his earlier policy of completing staff audits before the commencement of new minimum wage payment. He signed an agreement with labour to commence payment in December, prompting labour to call off the planned strike.

“The minimum wage is effective 1 November 2024 and since salaries had already been paid for November, the differential arrears shall be paid on or before the end of February 2025.

“The December salary 2024 shall be paid on the basis of the agreed new minimum wage,” Mr James said in another statement issued on Tuesday after a meeting with Governor Eno.

The statement is posted on the State Government’s Facebook page.

Gov Eno to pay ‘13th-month’ salary irrespective – Akwa Ibom Govt

Speaking to PREMIUM TIMES on Wednesday, Governor Eno’s spokesperson, Ekerete Udoh said the 13 months’ salary promised to workers by the Governor remains valid irrespective of the latest development.

“Absolutely. There is no doubt about that. The governor said so. It was paid last year and he’s going to pay this year irrespective of what you saw in the press release by the Organised Labour,” Mr Udoh said.

When contacted, the NLC chairperson told this newspaper that the issue of the ‘13th-month’ salary came up during the discussion, acknowledging that it is a privilege for the workers and not a right.

“And then the governor said if he’s going to pay minimum wage in December that he’s not going to pay 13 months’ salary. And from the consideration of NLC it is very clear that the ‘13th-month’ salary for all junior staff does not meet N20,000 which you know is only the basic (salary) and then the new minimum wage is not less than N55,000 for any junior staff and therefore we need our minimum wage,” Mr James said, stressing that the issue of the “13th-month” salary is the governor’s prerogative.