Onyeka said, “A state governor who does not believe in the sanctity of the laws will have a high proclivity to disobey them.
By Musa Ibrahim
Chris Onyeka, the Assistant General Secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), stated that many state governors are disregarding the Minimum Wage Act because they do not respect the rule of law.
Onyeka expressed this view in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Monday, discussing the minimum wage law and its enforcement.
According to NAN, while workers are eagerly awaiting the passage of a new minimum wage law, 15 states have yet to implement the N30,000 minimum wage enacted in 2019.
Despite the increased revenue to states following the fuel subsidy removal and the subsequent rise in fuel prices, these states still have not paid their workers the minimum wage.
The states that have not implemented the minimum wage, in violation of the 2019 Act, are Abia, Bayelsa, Delta, Enugu, Nasarawa, Adamawa, Gombe, Niger, Borno, Sokoto, Anambra, Imo, Benue, Taraba, and Zamfara.
Onyeka said, “A state governor who does not believe in the sanctity of the laws will have a high proclivity to disobey them.
“If you examine the history of some of these governors and their handlers, you will find a preponderance of those who came to power by breaking the laws.
“Is it now that they will obey the National Minimum Wage Act?”.
The labour leader said many governors were unwilling to pay civil servants their salaries because they see the state resources as theirs and are, therefore, not willing to share with the workers, who create the wealth.
“Some governors believe, erroneously, that workers’ salaries can wait or be toyed with without consequences, so they do not place priority to it.
“However, they forget that workers are human beings who need their salaries to meet their basic needs of life,” he said.
Onyeka also remarked that fiscal indiscipline is rampant in many states, with some governors diverting state resources for personal gain.
He emphasized the need to reduce the cost of governance at all levels and eliminate wasteful spending.
Measures identified by Onyeka include reducing the number of political appointees to lower overhead costs and decreasing the number of logistics, official, and operational vehicles.
He argued that the salaries and allowances of elected and appointed officials across all three branches of government should align with those of civil servants.
Additionally, Onyeka called for streamlined procurement processes to ensure integrity, accountability, fiscal discipline, and transparency in government operations.
“Governors should ensure budgetary fidelity, shun fund diversions, and stop making provisions that allow for looting of the states.
“They should stay more in their states instead of constantly being in Abuja, spending a lot of money maintaining two state houses,” he said.
Discussing measures to compel governors to comply with the minimum wage law, the labor leader suggested utilizing law enforcement principles.
He pointed out that the National Minimum Wage Act includes provisions for monitoring and compliance, but the issue lies in enforcement.
“The federal allocation to such states, once it is established that they are habitual breakers of the law, should be sequestered until they are compelled to pay.
‘The labour unions should also be empowered and supported in their actions against such states to pay.
“The Judiciary should be strengthened, especially the National Industrial Court, to carry out its responsibilities effectively,
“The court should not only give rulings but also issue enforceable garnishee orders against such state governments,” he said.
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