Governor Umaru Bago of Niger State has announced that his administration is prepared to implement the N70,000 minimum wage, contingent upon available resources. He made this statement during an interview following the opening of the 2024 quadrennial state delegate conference of the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN) in Minna on Wednesday.
Represented by his deputy, Mr. Yakubu Garba, Bago explained that the state government is awaiting national-level directives on the wage increase. “The minimum wage issue is a done deal; we are just waiting for the funds to be available to ensure its implementation in the state,” he stated.
Bago also highlighted recent state actions, including settling arrears of salaries for health workers and renovating 100 healthcare facilities to improve working conditions. The state government has consistently paid counterpart funds and established the Ministry for Primary Healthcare Development to enhance worker welfare.
In his address, Bago encouraged union leaders to focus on collaboration with the government and consider the efforts made to improve worker conditions. He urged the newly elected MHWUN executives to prioritize the interests of their members over personal agendas.
Abdullahi Erena, the state Chairman of MHWUN, noted that the conference aimed to elect new leadership for the next four years and acknowledged the challenges faced by the union, including the pandemic and economic difficulties.
Dr. Kabir Sani, National President of MHWUN, criticized the recent fuel price increase and urged the government to reverse it, while Malam Idris Lafene, Niger Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), called for unity among unions and condemned rising fuel and electricity costs.
News Editor