The Bayelsa State Government has succumbed to mounting pressure from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) by approving a new minimum wage of N80,000 for local government staff.
The decision, announced by the state’s Acting Governor, Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo, followed a meeting at the Government House, Yenagoa, with the state minimum wage implementation committee, local government chairmen, and representatives from labour unions, including NLC, TUC, Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), and Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN).
Ewhrudjakpo assured that the government would include the differentials from November’s implementation template in the December salaries. He urged the labour unions to finalize their computations using the consequential adjustment principle and harmonize them with the government’s proposals for smooth implementation.
The acting governor highlighted the state’s financial limitations, stating that Bayelsa cannot adopt the Federal Government’s template for consequential adjustments due to budgetary constraints. He emphasized the importance of balancing resources to sustain the state’s overall development while meeting civil servants' welfare needs.
Ewhrudjakpo said, “We have agreed on an N80,000 minimum wage for local government workers, but the consequential adjustment will differ from the Federal Government’s rates due to our financial capacity. We urge labour to understand that state and local government resources also serve the majority of our population through social services, not just salaries.”
On pensioners' remuneration, he disclosed the government’s approval of a N10,000 increase across the board and assured further deliberations on the recent federal circular proposing a N32,000 increment.
In response, the state NLC Chairman, Comrade Simon Barnabas, commended the government for approving the new minimum wage but urged it to adopt the Federal Government’s template for consequential adjustments and implement the full N32,000 increment for pensioners.
The approval marks a significant development in Bayelsa’s labour relations, reflecting a commitment to addressing workers' welfare while balancing the state’s financial realities.
