We Will Implement N30,000 New National Minimum Wage Soon – Zamfara Gov’t

The Bello Matawalle-led government of Zamfara State has assured civil servants that the new national minimum wage would soon be implemented in the state.

Naija News recalls that Matawalle was among governors that frowned at the call to increase workers’ earnings last year.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) Governor some time in May last year, charged the state’s civil servants to be careful and realistic in their agitation for the implementation of the new minimum wage.

While addressing the leadership of all the 36 trade unions in the state under the umbrella of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to the breaking of the Ramadan fast at his Gusau residence last year, Matawalle said: “Zamfara, which is one of the least collectors of monthly federal allocation has over ₦1.6 billion deducted from source to service the debts it inherited from the past administration.

“Every month, the state is left with between ₦1.8 billion and ₦1.3 billion to pay salaries to its over 28,000 workers as well as to execute government’s activities.”

The Governor however, assured the workers that his government would not relieve them of their job in order not to jeopardize homes and dependants.

However, the state Head of Civil Service, Kabiru Gayari, on Tuesday disclosed that the state government is in progress to begin the implementation of the  N30,000 minimum wage for workers.

The government official who was represented yesterday at the 4th Quadrennial Delegates Conference of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN), Zamfara Chapter in Gusau by the Permanent Secretary, Office of the Head of Civil Service, Alhaji Yusuf Bakura, said the lingering issue between the government and labour unions concerning the national minimum wage would soon be resolved.

He, therefore, admonished the unions to remain calm as the government has reached 70 per cent on moves to implement the new wage.

On his part, the chairperson of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Sani Halliru, represented by the acting state Secretary, Abubakar Gusau, called on workers to support the unions in their effort to ensure that the welfare of workers became the priority of the government.