A new report from BudgIT reveals that no less than 15 states across the country as of 2022 are yet to implement the N30,000 minimum wage signed into law in 2019.
The report titled “State of States, 2023 edition” looked at fiscal governance, transparency, accountability and sustainability in sub-national governments across Nigeria.
According to the report when dwelling on operating expenses and expenditures of states, it was noted that 15 states across the country have not implemented the new minimum nearly four years after it was signed into law.
However, the report did not mention the specific states failing to honour the minimum wage agreement.
BudgIT’s recent report is worrying considering the Federal government and the organised labour unions are currently negotiating a new minimum wage in the wake of the fuel subsidy removal and increase in the cost of living across the country.
Already, the Trade Union Congress (TUC) has demanded a new national minimum wage of N200,000 for workers across the country.
There have been protests across the country by labour unions on the failure of the Federal government to address the effects of subsidy removal on workers across the country.
This made the President on Independence Day approve a N35,000 wage award to federal government workers across the country and various states have implemented similar initiatives albeit for the short term.
It remains to be seen how many states can afford a revised minimum wage of N200,000 if agreed by the federal government.
