The Kano State Government has commenced the payment of the N30,000 minimum wage and the consequential adjustment that follows for workers in December.
The Federal Government and the Organized Labour agreed on 23.2 percent increase on level 7 and 20 per cent for workers on level 8 while it agreed on 19 per cent increase for workers in Grade level 9.
President Muhammadu Buhari signed the new Minimum Wage Act into law on April 18, 2019.
With Labour reaching agreement with the Government at the National, the battle shifted to the states.
In Kano, an agreement was reached at the end of the committee of the State Government and the joint Public service Negotiating Council on 19th December, 2019 to commence payment from December, 2019.
The agreement letter made available to The Nation indicated the categories of the increment as follow: GL O9, 14 %, GL-10, 11 %, GL-12, 10 %, GL-13, 9 %, GL-14, 8%, GL-15-17, 6 %.
The letter reads: ”Government has agreed to commence the payment of the new minimum wage, effective from December, 2019, while arrears of April-November, 2019, will be settled on instalment basis.
“Having resolved on the above percentage increases, as well as the salary tables of the affected categories attached herewith, three representatives each from the Government and Labour side, as well as two witnesses from each side do hereby append their individual signatures as follows:
“Herewith in a letter, signed by the Head of Service, the Permanent Secretary, Establishment, as well as the Permanent Secretary, Salary and Wages were all from the Government side.
While from the Labour side, was the State Chairman, Joint Negotiation Committee, its Secretary and the State Treasurer.”
The witnesses, during the signing exercise, include the Permanent Secretaries of Ministry of Planning and Budget and that of Finance, supported by the State Chairman, NLC and the State Chairman, Trade Union Congress (TUC).