The National Union of Teachers has expressed fears about the capacity of Local Government Areas to pay the N70,000 new minimum wage to primary school teachers.
The NUT’s fear is based on the failure of the councils to implement the former N30,000 minimum wage.
The NLC has given an ultimatum of December for all states as regards the payment of the minimum wage.
Findings show that some LG workers in Nasarawa, Enugu, Zamfara, Borno, Yobe, and Kogi states, among others, have remained on the N18,000 minimum wage, which was approved in 2011.
However, the inability of the councils to implement the minimum wage has been blamed on the failure of the government to fully implement the LG autonomy.
Data obtained from the NUT revealed that teachers in LG primary schools were not paid the former minimum wage.
In Enugu State, for instance, LG workers were exempted from benefitting from the minimum wage though the state workers enjoyed the minimum wage salaries.
Also, Abia, Adamawa, Bauchi, Nasarawa, Kogi, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara, Imo and Gombe States did not implement the old minimum wage for teachers at both state and local levels.
Speaking on the fears, the General Secretary of the National Union of Teachers, Dr. Mike Ene said, “I can tell you that some states didn’t even implement the N18,000 minimum wage for teachers at the local level. Some governors refused to pay stating that the teachers are under the employment of the local governments.
“There should be no form of segregation when it comes to the implementation of the minimum wage. We all go to the same market. There is no specific market for local government workers. However, we commend all the governors who have come out to say that the minimum wage will be implemented across the board.
“Also, the NLC has vowed to shake the country by December should state governments fail to implement the minimum wage so I can tell you that the move by the NLC will force things into play.”
NULGE president Hakeem Ambali however assured that the minimum wage would be implemented across the board when the LG autonomy commences.
“Over the years, governors have had one excuse and that is the fact that they always claimed that LGs are autonomous so they can’t negotiate minimum wage on behalf of LG workers. But the truth is that LGs were never autonomous during those periods.
“However, during the negotiation of the new minimum wage, the President brought in representatives of ALGON (Association of Local Government of Nigeria) to also negotiate and with the LG autonomy coming into play, that will be settled.”
