The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) has issued a strong warning to state governments that have not yet implemented the new N70,000 national minimum wage.
The association has threatened to take decisive action, which could lead to a complete shutdown of activities in states that fail to comply.
The new President of ASCSN, Shehu Muhammed, made this announcement during the association’s 5th Quadrennial Delegates Conference held in Lagos, where he officially assumed his new role.
Muhammed emphasized that non-compliance with the new minimum wage is not an option for any state, stating, “the most important priority now is to address the issue of the new minimum wage by constituting a committee to address the consequential adjustments towards implementation and the strategies to ensure workers have a living wage in Nigeria.
“The full implementation of the new national minimum wage and its consequential adjustments at both the federal and the 36 states of the federation will be the top priority of Organised Labour.”
He highlighted the need for state governments to improve the standard of living for their citizens, particularly in light of increased revenue allocations from the Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC).
Muhammed also suggested that states could fund the new wage by cutting unnecessary expenses and addressing financial leakages within government operations.
Additionally, Muhammed stressed the importance of forming a committee to focus on the full implementation of the new minimum wage and its consequential adjustments.
He emphasized that the top priority for the organized labor movement is to ensure that workers across the country receive a living wage.
The President of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), Festus Osifo, also delivered a message of solidarity during the conference, pledging support to the new ASCSN executives. He urged the new leadership to prioritize the interests of the union members and those who elected them into office.
He said “We request that state governments implement the new national minimum wage to enhance the standard of living for their citizens. This can be achieved by reducing wastages and blocking leakages of government funds. We also advise the government to adopt the policy of indexing income to match inflation rates, as recommended years ago by the Chief Ernest Shonekan committee.”
