Obaseki, labour, trade unions harmonise N30,000 minimum wage agreement

The Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki and the Joint Negotiating Council (JNC) on Monday signed the new N30,000 national minimum wage document, which sets the stage for the payment of the new minimum wage to workers in the state.

The governor had in his new year broadcast, assured public servants that they will be paid the new minimum wage, beginning from January 2020.

Speaking at the signing of the document at the Government House in Benin City, Obaseki noted that workers in the state would on 26 of January receive bank alerts reflecting the new minimum wage.

He attributed the success of the actualisation of the payment of the new minimum wage to the transparency and openness between the state government, labour and trade unions, noting, “There should not be much difference between a state worker, federal government worker and a local government worker because it is the same government.

“What we have done in Edo is to change the emphasis, by emphasising productivity. If you want someone to be productive, the minimum you can do is to pay the person a living wage.”

He said the next phase of welfare package for workers in the state will include building capacity of public servants to be more efficient and productive.

“Every worker must have health insurance cover. Every worker who is eligible must have a mortgage or house of their own and every worker will undertake at least one training in the public service training academy every year,” he added.

Earlier, the Edo State Head of Service, Mr Issac Ehiozuwa, said the new minimum wage was unanimously agreed upon by all parties involved and along with the consequential adjustments.

On his part, Chairman, Edo State chapter of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Sunny Osanyande, commended the governor for prioritising the welfare of state workers, noting, “We want to commend Edo State Government for a job well done because we are happy about the adjustments across board.”

Also, Chairman of Joint Negotiating Council, Comrade Catherine Eseine, expressed appreciation to the governor for making the negotiation process easy by keeping to his promise to pay the new minimum as soon as it was agreed upon by the NLC at the national level.