- The governor said that the remaining three months of the five-month backlog of salary arrears would be paid.
- He emphasised that the arrears would be paid along with the new minimum wage.
The Benue state governor, Hyacinth Alia, has given the green light to a new minimum wage of N75,000 for state civil servants.
Tersoo Kula, Alia’s chief press secretary, made the announcement on Monday, stating that the new wage takes effect this November.
The governor spoke after meeting with labour representatives, adding that the remaining three months of the five-month backlog arrears will be settled as allocated in the 2024 budget.
“We are implementing a new national minimum wage of seventy-five thousand naira (₦75,000). We decided to set the wage at ₦75,000, fully aware of the other concerns raised by organized labour during the negotiations,” he said.
“These concerns included a minimum wage of thirty thousand naira, wage awards, transportation allowances, tax relief, and work-off days, among others.
“Recall that the President had approved the sum of ₦70,000, which we have decided to exceed, considering the concerns raised by organized labour regarding our ability to pay.”
Alia reaffirmed that his administration is committed to serving the common man, ensuring they receive fair treatment.
He further stated that settling outstanding arrears is vital to alleviating the hardships faced by Benue State workers.
In July, President Bola Tinubu signed the minimum wage bill into law, increasing the workers’ pay package from N30,000 to N70,000.