Gov Alia Approves ₦75,000 Minimum Wage For Benue Workers

The Governor of Benue State, Hycienth Alia, has approved a minimum wage of ₦75,000 for workers in the state.

Governor Alia announced this on Monday at the State Secretariat after a meeting with organized labour representatives.

According to the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Sir Tersoo Kula, the government would also pay the remaining three months of the five-month backlog of arrears promised to the union as budgeted in the 2024 budget, along with the minimum wage, effective November 2024.

“We are implementing a new national minimum wage of seventy-five thousand naira (₦75,000). We decided to set the wage at ₦75,000, fully aware of the other concerns raised by organized 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 ₦70,000, which we have decided to exceed, considering the concerns raised by organized labour regarding our ability to pay,” Governor Alia said.

He emphasized that his government is committed to serving the common man, stressing that he will do everything legitimately possible to ensure that the workers of Benue State are properly taken care of.

He further stated that his motivation to ensure the arrears are paid is to alleviate the effects of hardship on workers.