N30,000 Minimum Wage: 15 States Fail To Implement Increase Three Years After Law

Three years after President Muhammadu Buhari signed the National Minimum Wage Act into law. Teachers in primary and secondary schools in 15 states are yet to enjoy the N30,000 wage increase.

According to the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), the states are Abia, Bayelsa, Delta, Enugu, Nasarawa, Adamawa, Gombe, Niger, Borno, Sokoto, Anambra, Imo, Benue, Taraba and Zamfara.

Data from the teachers’ union showed that only 15 states, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), have fully implemented the wage for primary and secondary school teachers.

States that have fully implemented the wage increase are Akwa Ibom, Ebonyi, Edo, Ekiti, Jigawa, Kano, Katsina, Kwara, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Plateau, Rivers State and FCT.

There is a partial implementation in Kogi, Cross River; Kaduna and Yobe have reverted to the N18,000 minimum of 2011.

The N30,000 minimum wage was signed into law by President Buhari in April 2019 after a long battle with Organised Labour.

A document obtained from the NUT read: “The following states are experiencing non-implementation of N30,000 minimum wage.

“They are Anambra and Imo with no reasons from their government; Benue, Taraba and Zamfara are due to paucity of funds.

“In Kaduna and Yobe states, the implementation of new minimum wage was reversed to N18,000 in April and November 2021 respectively.

“There is non-implementation of minimum wage in primary schools in Abia, Bayelsa, Delta, Enugu and Nasarawa State and governments in these States have given no reason for their action.

“While Adamawa, Gombe and Niger States are experiencing the non-implementation due to either lack of funds or insufficient funds from their Local Governments.

“In Borno State, the government complained of insufficient funds but promised to implement it in July or August 2022 for primary school teachers.

“The Sokoto government is planning on carrying out a verification exercise to determine qualified teachers as NCE holders.

“States with non-implementation of the N30, 000 in both primary and secondary schools are Anambra and Imo with no reasons from their government; Benue, Taraba and Zamfara are due to paucity of funds.

“In Kaduna and Yobe States, the implementation of new minimum wage was reversed to N18,000 in April and November 2021 respectively.

“In Abia State, the secondary school teachers are receiving N10,000 from the N30,000 minimum wage and no reason has been given for this.

“In Cross River State it has not been fully implemented due to insufficient funds by the State government.

“While in Nasarawa State, the senior cadre teachers in secondary school are waiting for their capturing exercise before partaking in the N30,000 minimum wage.

“Kogi State on the other hand has implemented only 40% to teachers handling primary 1-6 and JSS 1-3. The secondary schools in Kogi are under ASUSS.”

The document, however, detailed some of the steps taken by the state chapters of the NUT to ensure the successful implementation of the new minimum wage for teachers.

The document stated: “NUT in Abia State has requested the Abia State government to implement the new minimum wage for teachers in the State with strike actions yet no positive action has been taken by the government.

“The NUT in Adamawa and Anambra State is negotiating with their state governments for the implementation of the minimum wage.

“The NUT in Bayelsa mounted pressure on the state government which resulted in the setting up of a Special Committee to create a framework suitable for the implementation of the minimum wage.

“NUT Benue State Wing in collaboration with NLC met with the state government on the implementation yet no result.

“In Enugu State, strike action was embarked upon by the Union for one month by the primary school teachers in the state from 9th May-7th June, 2022. Also, dialogue is still ongoing with the state government.

“In Gombe, a committee was set up by the Deputy Governor on how to implement the minimum wage where the state NLC Chairman and NUT Chairman who doubles as the NLC Deputy Chairman were fully involved.

“All efforts by the NUT in Imo, Kaduna, Kebbi and Yobe to get their State governments to implement the minimum wage for teachers in their respective states have proved abortive.

“After the strike action declaration in Niger, the state government agreed to implement yet nothing has been done to date.

“In Taraba State, there is no room for an interface with the State government due to the ongoing problem between the union and the state government.

“All efforts of the NUT Nasarawa State wing to implement the New Minimum Wage has been difficult due to the Local Government Autonomy in the State.

“In Zamfara State, the union, NLC and the state government had met severally on the non-implementation of the minimum wage which the state government promised to implement but to date, no action has been taken.

“Hence, the Organised Labour have resolved to embark on a strike action to press home their demands.”