1st May, 2016
Jethro Ibileke/Benin
Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State on Sunday announced a new minimum wage with effect from May 1, 2016.
Oshiomhole who was addressing a rally organised by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC), to mark this year’s Workers’ Day anniversary at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin, announced an increment from the present N18, 000 minimum wage to N25, 000.
“With effect from today, the new minimum wage for government workers shall now be N25,000, and the new minimum wage will cut across board.
The workers who before the announcement, expressed dissatisfaction over the poor welfare and seeming government’s insensitivity to the welfare of its workersvjumped for joy and happily marched in appreciation of the new minimum wage as announced by the Governor.
Earlier in their respective speeches, the Chairman of NLC, Comrade Emma Ademokun and his TUC counterpart, Comrade Ohue Marshal, expressed concern over the persistent scarcity of petroleum product, epileptic power supply and illegal electricity tariff increase, spiral increase in cost of living, insecurity, kidnapping, rampaging herdsmen, Boko haram, irregular payment of salaries resulting in accumulation of arrears, growing rate of unemployment with the attendant social vices.
P.M. NEWS reports that the Workers’ Day rally was however marred by low turn out of workers.