We received N80,000 minimum wage in November – Enugu labour leaders

The Organised Labour in Enugu State has refuted media reports claiming that the new minimum wage has not been paid, stating that the implementation of the N80,000 minimum wage, which exceeds the N70,000 national minimum wage, commenced in November 2024.

The workers also stated that they had no plans to go on strike. They clarified that discrepancies in the consequential adjustment during the implementation of the N80,000 minimum wage had been conveyed to Governor Peter Mbah, and expressed confidence that the issue would be addressed, as the governor had already earned their trust with his commitment to workers’ welfare since assuming office.

This was disclosed in a joint statement on Tuesday in the state capital by the Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Enugu State Council, Comrade Fabian Nwigbo; Chairman of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Ben Asogwa; and Chairman of the state’s Joint Public Service Negotiating Council (JNC), Comrade Ezekiel Omeh.

The statement read: “The Organised Labour in Enugu State wishes to clarify several media reports that wrongly place Enugu among the states that are yet to pay the national minimum wage.

“We want to acknowledge that the Enugu State Government paid the N80,000 minimum wage approved by the governor in the November 2024 salary.

“However, the minimum wage paid did not reflect the consequential adjustments inherent in the implementation of the minimum wage.

“As labour leaders, we have already communicated to His Excellency the observed discrepancies, and in his usual magnanimity towards the welfare of workers, we strongly believe that he will address this subsequently.

“Our confidence in the governor remains intact, given his usual commitment to the wellbeing of workers.

“It is worthy of note that he continued to pay the N25,000 wage award he approved for workers from December 2023 until October 2024, when the new N80,000 minimum wage was approved and reflected in the November salary.

“We also recall his good faith in ensuring that local government employees were included from the onset in the new N80,000 minimum wage, having earlier upgraded them to the full N30,000 minimum wage upon his assumption of office after several years of waiting.

“Likewise, he approved the payment of the N1.9bn accumulated leave allowances owed to teachers in public primary schools and eight-month salary arrears, valued at over N467m, owed to academic, non-academic, and casual staff of the Enugu State College of Education Technical (ESCET), Enugu, before his assumption of office.

“Consequently, in this same spirit, we trust him to address all concerns regarding the consequential adjustments in the implementation of the N80,000 minimum wage.

“So, we have not gone on strike, nor do we contemplate or foresee any strike in the near future because there is no need for that yet.”