By Matthew Ajai-Kume
Benue State Government is to commence the payment of N30,000 minimum wage to its workers very soon.
The implementation of the minimum wage would commence with state civil servants on grade level 1 to 6.
This was made known Wednesday, by the leader of the government delegation and Secretary to the Benue State Government, Prof. Anthony Ijohor, while addressing journalists, shortly after the meeting between Benue State Government and the leadership of the organised labour in Benue State.
He said, at the moment, the government and the labour have agreed that, the payment of the wage should commence with workers on grade level 1 to 6, while workers on grade level 7 to 17 shall be attended to, when the state government might have finished clearing the state government payroll.
“We have met with the leaders of the organised labour in the state and deliberated intensively on issues of the payment of the N30,000 minimum wage to our workers, however, due to the economic recession brought up by the COVID-19 pandemic and the dwindling finances of the state government, we have agreed to start the payment with workers on grade kevel 1 to 6, while workers on grade level 7 to 17 would take their turn, when the economy of the state improves,” Prof. Ijohor explained.
Prof. Ijohor further explained that, the state government is working assiduously on leakages on the payroll, noting that, once the issue is sorted out or cleared, workers on grade level 7 and above will receive attention from government.
In his remark, leader of the organised labour delegation, Comrade Ojema Ojotu said, in their deliberations with the government, it agreed that, workers on grade level 1 to 6 will receive the full N30,000 minimum wage, while workers on grade level 7 to 17 shall be put on hold till the economy of the state improves.
Comrade Ojotu added that, the organised labour is monitoring keenly, the state government payroll cleaning, to ensure all genuine staff are not victimised.
The Benue State Government and the organised labour meeting which held at the Conference Hall, Governor’s Lodge, Benue Peoples House, Makurdi, had in attendance, the Governor of the State, Samuel Ortom, his deputy, Engr Benson Abounu, Head of Service, Mrs Veronica Onyeke, Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress, Benue State Chapter, Comrade Godwin Anya, National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) representative, Comrade Terungwa Igbe, amongst others.
