Governor Nasir El- Rufai of Kaduna State will start implementing the new national minimum wage of N30,000 from September 1, 2019.
El-Rufai’s Special Adviser Media and Communication, Muyiwa Adekeye on Monday told journalists about the minimum wage
Adekeye said the State Executive Council on Monday approved the payment of N30,000 from 1st of September 2019.
Adekeye expressed El-Rufai’s willingness to strengthen, deliver quality and responsive public service in the State.
State Executive Council approves minimum wage take-off date
Kaduna deputy governor, Dr. Hadiza Balarabe who addressed the meeting said that the council unanimously approved the September date.
‘“The Executive Council expressed their desire to improve the standard of living of workers in the state,” Balarabe said.
Balarabe said that the Kaduna State government had launched a pay review process earlier in 2018.
Balarabe noted that the State cabinet committee was charged with exploring how the State can sustainably improve public sector salaries.
Minimum wage guided by sustainability
He said the government was guided by ability to pay workers salaries and sustain it. “The government considered Kaduna internally generated revenues and federal government allocations before approval,” Balarabe said.
Balarabe said that several salaries for workers and their options were considered before approvals . “The State Council agreed that the national minimum wage for workers appeared to gather more supports from citizens.
“Kaduna government reactivated the N30,000 wage after the Federal Government announced the new national minimum wage in April 2019.
El-Rufai states consequences of minimum wage
‘Payment of the new national minimum wage will increase Kaduna wage bill by 33percent. Kaduna State gross monthly salary outlay will rise to N3.759bn from the current N2.827bn,” Balarabe said.
He explained that N1bn monthly increase in wage bill, means that salary and pension commitments will take the lion share.
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Balarabe noted that meeting these salary obligations and development objectives will further raise the pressure to expand.
He said: “The lowest-paid workers in the civil service enjoyed increments of as much as 67percent.
