The federal government yesterday pleaded with states that have not started implementation of the N70,000, new national minimum wage to start payment forthwith.
Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, who made the plea, said government at the centre was committed to fully implementing the newly approved minimum wage.
Speaking to newsmen after meeting with Tinubu at the State House, Abuja, Akume said the federal government was determined to ensure that workers receive a fair wage, describing the implementation as complete and uncompromising.
Commenting on the level of the government’s commitment to the implementation of the new minimum wage, the SGF said: “quite frankly, the federal government is totally committed to this fully, there’s no half measure about this at all. It’s full”.
He said that Tinubu prioritised the new minimum wage issue early in his administration, establishing a tripartite committee to examine all aspects of wage adjustment.
This committee, he explained, included representatives from the federal government, state governors, and the organized private sector, resulting in a consensus on a new wage standard.
He noted that some state governments have already started implementing the wage increase, with a few states even surpassing the N70,000 threshold.
Akume commended the states that have initiated payments, expressing hope that those who were yet to start will soon begin honouring the new wage commitment.
He further encouraged the affected states to fulfill their obligations promptly, underscoring the importance of timely compliance.
According to him, “The issue of the new minimum wage has always been central to the thinking of the government of President Bola Tinubu, and that was why he quickly put in place a tripartite arrangement to look at all the issues, and this was properly carried out.
“The governors were represented, the federal government was represented, the organised private sector was also part of it. So we arrived at the new minimum wage.
“We are very satisfied with it and some state governments have started implementing. Others have even gone beyond N70,000. So I believe that there’s no problem with that whatsoever.
“We applaud those who have started. Those who have not started, we just want to appeal to them to start the payment”, he further said.