Labour leaders in Anambra State have appealed to Governor Charles Soludo to adopt the Federal Government’s template for calculating the new minimum wage for workers. This call was made on Friday in Awka by Aromeh, President of the Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), during a briefing on workers’ expectations regarding the new wage.
Aromeh stated that organized labour, which includes the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), and NULGE, is united in urging Soludo to implement the wage chart released by the Federal Government. He expressed dissatisfaction with the current proposal from the state government, particularly concerning salary levels for workers graded from Level 8 to 17, noting that it fails to meet expectations.
“Unfortunately, the governor is not getting it right,” Aromeh said, emphasizing that while the state government cites its internally generated revenue as a reason for its proposal, Anambra’s financial standing is actually better than several other states that have adopted the federal template.
He criticized the notion that workers at different grade levels should receive the same salary, highlighting a disparity where a worker on Grade Level One earns approximately N70,000, while a worker on Grade Level Eight earns the same amount. “This is wrong. The real thing should be done,” he asserted.
Aromeh called on the governor, whom he acknowledged as a friend to Anambra workers, to prioritize their collective interests. He expressed optimism that the government would reconsider its stance, given the economic challenges workers face.
“If our governor does not adopt the Federal Government’s template, we may have to consider other options, including legal action, though we do not want to create problems in the state,” he warned.
The labour leader concluded by reiterating that all workers operate within the same economic conditions, advocating for the uniform application of the federal template to ensure fair treatment for all employees.
