By Emmanuel Sixtus
Months after contemplating the implementation of the new minimum wage, which was signed into law by the federal government, Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo of Anambra State has reaffirmed his commitment to improving the welfare of civil servants with the rollout of a new N70,000 minimum wage starting by the end of October 2024.
This long-awaited announcement comes amidst growing expectations following months of negotiations and labour demands for a wage adjustment that reflects the rising cost of living.
The governor initially contended against the new minimum wage and threatened that his state would not be able to pay the new minimum wage. His position led to internal discontent within the state chapter of the Nigerian Labour Congress.
After it was widely anticipated that the state chapter of the NLC would embark on a strike to enforce the new minimum wage, the Congress opted for negotiation, and after some months, the governor declared willingness to pay.
While most governors have started paying, the governor insisted on further communications and negotiations with the state workforce. The state chapter had insisted on the new minimum wage, which they said had become law.
The president of Nigeria, Bola Amed Tinubu, signed the new minimum wage into law without carrying the governors along. When the NLC went on strike, the federal government was forced into negotiation without the governors, who insisted the new minimum wage was not feasible.
Governor Chukwuma Soludo has promised to pay the minimum wage, but that it would start at his own schedule, although this is against the law, but the union appears clueless as to how to go about the problem.
Many people have accused the governor of playing politics with the minimum wage and presenting it as if he were doing the workers a favour.
“He wants to use the new minimum wage as a campaign move; as the election is drawing closer, he is trying to announce and start the payment so that people and workers can have it fresh and lead to getting votes for him,” Bob, a Daily Tab24 political analyst, said.
Soludo, while speaking during a meeting with key stakeholders in the state capital, Awka, highlighted that his administration remains focused on delivering tangible improvements to public sector workers despite the state’s economic constraints. This wage increase, which is set to benefit thousands of civil servants in the state, aligns with his broader vision of creating a fair and equitable workplace for government employees. He assured workers that this new policy would be a key step in addressing their long-standing economic hardships, especially in light of the country’s recent fuel subsidy removal.
The wage increase is not an isolated initiative but part of a series of worker-centred reforms spearheaded by the Soludo administration. These reforms include a 10% salary increase for public workers in 2022, timely payments of pensions and gratuities, and enhanced career development opportunities through training programs for civil servants. Soludo’s government has also focused on educational reform, most notably by abolishing tuition fees for senior secondary school students in public schools, easing the financial burden on parents employed in the public sector.
Soludo’s administration has gained a reputation for maintaining good relations with labour unions, a feat underscored by his efforts to regularly engage with worker representatives and address grievances through dialogue. However, this new minimum wage policy comes against the backdrop of some labour tensions, as unions at the national level continue to press for widespread implementation of higher wages across the country. Soludo urged for continued collabouration between the government and labour leaders, emphasising that a cooperative approach would yield better results for all parties involved.
In addressing these economic challenges, Soludo is not only focused on worker welfare but also on broader socioeconomic reforms, including initiatives aimed at improving small business support, healthcare access, and infrastructural development. His administration’s holistic approach suggests that the minimum wage increase is just one aspect of a wider strategy to boost Anambra State’s economy and foster long-term growth and stability.
The move has been met with optimism by many civil servants, who see the wage increase as a much-needed reprieve amidst inflationary pressures and rising costs. It also underscores Soludo’s ongoing commitment to making Anambra a model of good governance and worker welfare in Nigeria.
As the state prepares to implement this new wage policy, all eyes will be on the governor to ensure that the promise is fulfilled on time and that it marks the beginning of more extensive reforms to improve the lives of Anambra’s workers and their families.
Yet, the preparation has been questioned and many interpreted the actions of the governor as being lawless, hence the minimum wage is the right of the state workers.
The workers wait with strong expectations, hoping that the governor would consider arrears, which starts from the very month the new minimum wage was signed into law.
