The National President of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Alhaji Haruna Kankara, has criticized around 20 states for their failure to implement the mandated N70,000 minimum wage for local government workers and primary school teachers. This comes as many employees in states like Yobe, Gombe, Zamfara, and Cross River have yet to receive the new wage.

Kankara pointed out that while some states have started to implement the Minimum Wage Act of 2024, others, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), are still lagging. He stated, “We have states such as Sokoto, Yobe, Gombe, and Zamfara that have not begun paying the new minimum wage.”

President Bola Tinubu signed the N70,000 minimum wage bill into law on July 29, 2024, increasing the monthly minimum wage from N30,000 to N70,000 in response to ongoing economic difficulties. Although states like Lagos and Rivers have successfully implemented the wage increase, many local government workers are still awaiting their rightful payments.

Kankara expressed his disappointment, noting that some states have made promises to implement the wage but have not followed through. He emphasized, “We continue to engage with them, hoping for a resolution soon.”

In Kwara State, the N70,000 minimum wage was implemented for state workers in October 2024, but high taxes have significantly reduced the actual take-home pay for many employees. NULGE’s Kwara State President Seun Oyinlade reported that while the wage increase was acknowledged, the taxation burden remains a major concern.

Teachers in Sokoto confirmed that the new minimum wage has been put into effect, although there were delays due to issues with FAAC allocations. Meanwhile, in the FCT, teachers have gone on multiple strikes over the non-implementation of the new wage, disrupting classes and examinations.

This ongoing situation highlights the urgent need for state governments to take immediate action to ensure compliance with the new wage law and address the financial hardships faced by local government workers and teachers across Nigeria.