Kano State government has allegedly reneged on its pledge made to implement the new law on workers’ minimum wage, thereby reverting to the old salary structure of N18,000.
DAILY POST correspondent gathered that civil servants in the state received equivalent of the outlawed wage of N18,000 in the months of November and December 2020.
The Federal government approved the implementation of the N30,000 new minimum wage to workers in October, 2019 and directed states and private entities to adopt the nation’s minimum take home for workers.
Kano State government was the first state in the federation to declare readiness to adopt the new N30,000 wage, with additional value of N600.
However, the labour union raised concern when the government slashed workers’ October, 2020 salaries without prior notice.
A civil servant with one of the State’s ministries, who wanted his name not mentioned, said that his salaries of November and December 2020 were paid at the rate of N18,000 minimum wage.
“What I received on December 30th was the old wage. In November and December of the same year, the percentage was just like the old salary. It is sad. Nobody is coming out to tell us why”.
Another civil servant who also confirmed similar development revealed that the government has failed to fulfill its promise.
“It is sad because this is the first time the Kano state government is failing to pay us full salary. They had started well by paying even more than the Federal government with additional N600. But the November and December sàlaries are the worst. Yet nobody is coming out to explain the rationale behind the reversal,” he stated.
Meanwhile, efforts to obtain reaction from Commissioner for Information, Malam Muhammad Garba was not successful because he did not pick his calls and declined to reply text message.
The Kano State Joint Negotiation Council (JNC) has vowed to institute drastic action against the state government if it fails to revert the development.
Reacting to the salary reversal, Chairman, JNC, Comrade Hashim Saleh, told journalists that the council is presently awaiting government reply to official notice written to it on the illegal reversal to old minimum wage.
According to him, “When the deduction started in October, 2020, the council was inaugurated to mediate with the government on the development. The government said the development was as a result of poor revenue occasioned by COVID-19 pandemic.
“The government also cited a drop in its monthly allocation from the Federal government. They, however, promised to return to normal wage when the situation improves. But, the salaries of November and December 2020 were the worst. It is unacceptable.
“We have officially written to the government and we are waiting to hear the reply. The joint Labour unions will not hesitate to take drastic measures if the government fails to do the needful,” Hashim declared.
