Alia approves N75k minimum wage for Benue civil servants

Hyacinth Alia, governor of Benue, has approved a minimum wage of N75,000 for civil servants in the state.

In a statement on Monday, Tersoo Kula, chief press secretary to Alia, said the new minimum wage takes effect in November.

The governor spoke after meeting with labour representatives, adding that the remaining three months of the five-month backlog arrears will be settled as allocated in the 2024 budget.

“We are implementing a new national minimum wage of seventy-five thousand naira (N75,000),” Alia said.

“We decided to set the wage at N75,000, fully aware of the other concerns raised by organised labour during the negotiations.

“These concerns included a minimum wage of thirty thousand naira, wage awards, transportation allowances, tax relief, and work-off days, among others.

“Recall that the President had approved the sum of N70,000, which we have decided to exceed, considering the concerns raised by organized labour regarding our ability to pay.”

Alia reiterated that his administration prioritises the welfare of ordinary citizens, ensuring they receive fair treatment.

He added that settling outstanding arrears is crucial to mitigating the hardship faced by workers.

In July, President Bola Tinubu signed the minimum wage bill, increasing workers’ pay package from N30,000 to N70,000.