Local government workers in Gombe State have yet to receive their October salaries due to a delay in implementing the new minimum wage of N71,451, recently approved by the state government,Daily Trust reports.
Previously, local government employees were paid the old minimum wage of N18,000. On October 14, the state government and the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) signed an agreement to implement the new minimum wage for both state and local government workers, with the intention that payments would begin in October. Dr. Manassah Daniel Jatau, the Deputy Governor, who presided over the signing, urged workers to report to him if they had not received the new wage by the end of the month.
State civil service workers received their salaries on October 30, but as of November 10, local government employees are still awaiting payment. Local government workers in Gombe State typically receive their salaries between the 25th and 27th of each month, but the delay has caused financial strain.
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“The delay is making it hard for us to make ends meet,” said Sani Ahmed, a local government worker. “We urge the government to pay us the approved minimum wage without further delay.”
Some workers expressed concerns that even when paid, the delayed salary may not be sufficient due to debts incurred in anticipation of the new wage increase from N18,000 to N71,451. One worker mentioned that, due to the required biometric attendance, they still need to report to work daily despite not being paid, with transport costs adding to their financial burdens.
When contacted, Commissioner of Finance and Economic Development Muhammad Gambo Magaji indicated that payments would be made on Sunday, but as of the time of this report, local government workers were still awaiting their salaries.
