Some states using COVID-19 as excuse not to pay minimum wage – NLC

The Nigeria Labour Congress has accused some states of using COVID-19 as an excuse not to pay minimum wage.

This was disclosed by Joe Ajaero, deputy president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), In an interview with Channels Television on Wednesday,

It was earlier reported that  NLC would embark on a nationwide protest on Wednesday, over moves by the National Assembly to remove the Minimum Wage from the Exclusive List to the Concurrent List.

Ajaero said the while negotiation for minimum wage was in progress, the least payable amount by states was put into consideration.

In his words: “The capacity of states was put into consideration during the negotiations. That is why the minimum wage was put at N30,000. Some states have the capacity to pay N100,000. But there was consideration based on the least; there was consideration based on their revenue.”

Ajaero said though some states have been implementing the minimum wage, others are praying for the pandemic not to end because they use it as an excuse not to implement the wage.

“Some states in good faith have started implementing, but many of them are hiding under this issue of COVID-19 and that is why you see them praying that this will continue so that they will not be engaged on this issue of minimum wage payment. And that is why some of them are not paying but are tending to some other needs which to them is their priority,” he said.

“Critically, about nine states are chronic about it, they are fighting against the implementation. And then some of the other states have started the implementation but some in defect.”