Niger commences wage award payments to workers

The Niger State Government has initiated the disbursement of wage awards to its employees.

This decision comes in response to a directive issued by President Bola Tinubu during his recent visit to the state for project inaugurations.

According to Binta Mamman, the Commissioner for Information, Governor Mohammed Bago has instructed the immediate rollout of the wage awards, encompassing workers across the state and its local governments.

Mamman revealed that over 80,000 workers stand to benefit from the initiative, with each recipient receiving a flat rate of N20,000.

“The payment was a directive from Mr President during his visit to Niger State to commission the state mechanised farming project and the airport that was renamed after him.

“I am speaking with so much confidence because some workers have shown me their alert this morning,” Mamman said.

The N20,000 flat rate is an agreement reached between the state’s organised labour and the state government which led to the call off of the last industrial action declared by Labour barely 24 hours after its commencement.

While the wage award represents a step towards addressing the concerns of workers, some civil servants expressed discontent over deductions made by banks, resulting in them receiving amounts lower than the stipulated N20,000.

Idrees Lafene, Chairman of the Niger State Nigeria Labour Congress, confirmed that despite an initial agreement on a higher wage award of N35,000, the state government opted to initiate payments at the N20,000 mark, assuring that adjustments would be made accordingly.

“We agreed on an N35,000 wage award. it was the governor that wrote N20,000 that we are collecting and will do the needful soon,” Lafene said.

During his address at the commissioning ceremony, President Tinubu stated the capacity of state governments to implement the N30,000 minimum wage, urging governors to prioritise the welfare of civil servants.

“I am not giving you an order, I am only appealing to you all the sub-nationals, whatever the civil servants are taking now, and the wage award it will relieve the people,” Tinubu stated.