Use FG’s Minimum Wage Template to Pay Us, Anambra Workers Tell Soludo

Candidate of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) Professor Charles Soludo, also known as Cee Cee Soludo, speaks after signing of peace accord, a commitment to peaceful elections by all contestants ahead of next November 6 governorship election in Akwa, Anambra State in southeast Nigeria, on November 4, 2021. – Nigeria’s southeast Anambra state holds elections for local governor’s office on NOvember 6, 2021 in a ballot being widely watched as barometer for the country’s 2023 presidential vote. More than 30,300 police have been dispatched to secure the state where separatist tensions have been on the rise and the vote will test electoral authorities abilities to organise a ballot in difficult circumstances. (Photo by PIUS UTOMI EKPEI / AFP) (Photo by PIUS UTOMI EKPEI/AFP via Getty Images)

Labour leaders in Anambra State, on Friday, appealed to Governor Charles Soludo to use the Federal Government’s template to compute the workers’ new minimum wage.

According to Tribune, the President of the Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Anambra Chapter, made the appeal in Awka while briefing newsmen on the workers’ expectations from the new minimum wage.

Aromeh stated that the organised labour in the state, comprising the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), and NULGE, “are collectively appealing to Soludo, in the interest of workers, to use the chart released by the Federal Government.

“Yes, there is an issue of the new minimum wage on the ground, and the labour leaders, including NLC, TUC, and NULGE, have been meeting with the governor on the matter.

“In Anambra, unfortunately, the governor is not getting it right, because from what we have seen from him and his team, we are not happy, especially in the areas that affect salaries. Grade Levels eight to 17, the government’s proposal is nothing to write home about,” he said.

Aromeh further stated that though the government base its argument on internally generated revenue, available reports show that Anambra is far better than some states that have adopted the Federal Government’s template for the new minimum wage.

“The Federal Government’s chart must be used and not for the state to adopt a discriminatory package for workers on different grade levels.

“If what the state is bringing to the table is allowed, it means that as you progress, your take-home pay will continue to go down,” he said.

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The NULGE boss wondered why a worker on Grade Level One, Step One, would earn N70,000 plus, while a staff member on Grade Level Eight would also earn N70,000 plus every month.

“It is wrong. The real thing should be done.

“NULGE is not happy about it and seriously pleading with the Anambra Government and Mr. Governor as the father to use the chart used by the Federal Government.

“Gov. Soludo is friendly with Anambra workers and NULGE in particular, but on this new minimum wage, he is not protecting the collective interest of the workers.

“Our collective stand is that the normal chart be used, and everything worked out based on percentage.

“We are optimistic that he will do something urgently because he knows the economic hardship facing the workers,’’ he said.

Aromeh said that all the workers in the country operate in the same market and economy; hence, no state should apply a template different from the one released by the Federal Government.

“If our governor does not adopt the Federal Government’s template, we have other options than giving him an ultimatum or going to court because we do not want to bring problems into the state,” he said.

He expressed optimism that the government would reason with the workers to use the Federal Government’s template, due to the current economic hardship in the country.

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