The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike, has authorized the immediate disbursement of N70,000 as the revised minimum wage for all administrative staff.
This was announced in a statement issued by Anthony Odeh, the Press Secretary to the Head of the FCT Civil Service, and shared with journalists on Tuesday.
It is worth noting that President Bola Tinubu signed the new Minimum Wage Bill into law in May 2024, setting N70,000 as the minimum wage for workers after extensive negotiations with organized labor unions.
According to The PUNCH, the FCT branches of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have also warned of a potential shutdown of activities on November 30, 2024. This move aligns with a nationwide strike planned by the national bodies of the labor unions to demand full implementation of the minimum wage across various states, including the FCT.
The unions also claimed that the Wike-led administration has not engaged with labor unions since taking office in August 2023.
The statement indicated that Wike authorized the payment of the minimum wage on Monday, November 18, 2024, “in a bid to ameliorate the plight of workers under the employ of Federal Capital Territory Administration.”
Mrs. Grace Adayilo, the Acting Head of Civil Service for the FCT, revealed that the minister also sanctioned the disbursement of three months’ arrears for all administration staff, starting from November 2024.
The Head of Service said, “This gesture will further spur the entire administration staff to support the minister in continuing to deliver on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda.”
The statement noted that this step reflects the minister’s dedication to ensuring the welfare and well-being of the employees.
The PUNCH
