Kaduna: Gov. Sani Commences Payment Of Minimum Wage – Spokesperson

The Kaduna State Government on Sunday, December 1, 2024, accused the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), of misrepresenting facts by claiming that the state has defaulted in the payment of the new National Minimum Wage.

A statement issued by Malam Ibraheem Musa, Chief Press Secretary to the Kaduna State Governor, pointedly said that Governor Uba Sani has commenced the implementation of the National Minimum Wage.

This was as the spokesman to the Kaduna State governor, said that the NLC was harping on the issue of consequential adjustment, adding that the labour body ought to realise that there is a difference between salary increment and Minimum Wage.

Musa therefore decried the NLC’s lumping of Kaduna State with others, describing it “as grossly unfair”, stressing that the least paid worker in the State received N72,000 as gross salary in the month of November.

In the words of Musa; “His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Kaduna State, Senator Uba Sani, has complied with the spirit and letter of the National Minimum Wage Law, by paying the lowest paid civil servant N72,000 last month.

“NLC is harping on the issue of consequential adjustment but the labour body should realise that there is difference between salary increment and Minimum Wage.

“Kaduna State receives an average of N8 billion from Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) from the centre every month. It also generates around N4 billion monthly. That translates to N12 billion revenue monthly.

“However, the monthly wage bill has jumped from N5.4 billion to N6.3 billion with the implementation of the Minimum Wage last month. And there is also the deduction of N4 billion for loan payment every month.

“So, the wage bill and the deduction have gulped over N10 billion out of the total N12 billion revenue. That leaves only N2 billion for rural transformation, overhauling the health sector, revamping education and providing dividends of democracy to the people of Kaduna State,” he said.

Musa argued that it will be unfair for Kaduna State Government to spend almost all its revenue on consequential adjustments, after paying the mandatory Minimum Wage.

He further said; “There are over 10 million people who are also entitled to the accrued revenue of Kaduna State. There are 84,827 civil servants in the state. So, it is unreasonable for Government to spend over 90% of its revenue on just about !% of the population”.

Musa therefor appealed to the NLC to exercise patience over the consequential adjustments, pending when Government’s revenue improves, adding that Governor Uba Sani is Labour-friendly.

The statement also said that the Kaduna State Government has already bought buses for civil servants which will convey them to and from work free of charge, as part of the palliatives to cushion the prevailing economic challenges.