Gombe State governor, Inuwa Yahaya, has pledged to pay the new national minimum wage of N70,000 to workers in the state.
This announcement was made by the state head of civil service, Ahmed Kasimu Abdullahi, Sunday night at the office of the deputy governor, Manasseh Jatau, after a meeting between the government and leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in the state on the subject matter.
He stated that the governor has initiated the necessary processes for the implementation of the new wage.
“Government has set the machinery for the implementation of the new national minimum wage in Gombe State. Let me assure you that His Excellency the governor is fully determined to pay the minimum wage,” he said.
Recall that Governor Inuwa recently raised concern about the feasibility of implementing the new national minimum wage due to the lack of adequate resources.
But the head of the service now disclosed that the governor is committed to paying the new minimum wage, adding that he had previously approved an N10,000 palliative payment to civil servants to cushion the effect of fuel subsidy removal.
Also speaking, the state chairman of the NLC Yusuf Aish, said they have agreed to wait for the time the new minimum wage table as approved by the federal government will be released to start full negotiations on what should be paid in the state.
“Whenever it is released, we will start full negotiation with a view to reaching an agreement on what is to be paid in Gombe State,” he said.