The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Joe Ajaero, has called on both federal and state governments to emulate Imo State by implementing higher minimum wages for workers.
Speaking on Thursday at the seventh quadrennial delegates’ conference of the National Union of Civil Engineering Construction, Furniture and Wood Workers, in Abuja, Ajaero commended Governor Hope Uzodimma for his bold decision to significantly raise salaries across Imo State’s workforce.
It could be recalled that earlier this month, Uzodimma announced an increase in the state’s minimum wage from ₦76,000 to ₦104,000.
The governor also approved salary adjustments for key sectors: doctors’ pay rose from ₦215,000 to ₦503,000, while tutors in tertiary institutions saw their wages jump from ₦119,000 to ₦222,000.
Ajaero described the move as both “real and commendable”, urging other governors to act without waiting for the statutory three-year wage review cycle.
He stressed that if Imo states have the capacity to pay ₦100,000 and above and considering that it is not the highest in terms of revenue, it then means others could do more.
Beyond wages, Ajaero also expressed concern over developments at the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund.
He accused the government of diverting 40 per cent of workers’ contributions and attempting to amend the NSITF Act to gain greater control over the fund.
“The state, having diverted 40 per cent of workers’ contributions in NSITF, is now seeking to unilaterally amend the NSITF Act. This is to allow the government to control a fund that entirely belongs to workers. We had demanded that the funds be accounted for and returned so that Nigerian workers would enjoy the benefits of the agency,” he said.