Rose Ejembi, Makurdi
The Benue State government has promised to pay the new national minimum wage of N30,000 that was recently signed by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Governor Samuel Ortom made the promise on Thursday while declaring open the Nigeria Labour Congress, (NLC) Benue State Council Delegates Conference held at the JS Tarka Foundation, Makurdi the Benue State capital.
The governor who posited that Nigerian workers deserve more than N30,000 minimum wage if funds were available to pay, revealed that consultations would soon commence towards successful implementation of the new national minimum wage.
He appealed to the Federal government to review the Revenue Allocation formula in favour of states to facilitate the smooth implementation of the new minimum wage.
Governor Ortom who acknowledged the support and commitment of the labour unions to his re-election pledged his commitment to the welfare of workers and pensioners in the state.
While also promising to justify the confidence reposed in him by the workers, the governor urged those that would be elected at the delegates’ conference to braise up and provide selfless service to the organised labour in the state as servant leaders.
Earlier in his keynote address, National President of NLC, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, who was represented by Comrade Mamman Mustapha, enjoined leaders that would emerge at the delegates conference to make accountability, humility, discipline and collective leadership their watchword.
Also speaking, state Chairman of NLC, Comrade Godwin Anya, expressed appreciation to union members for their unanimous decision to return him unopposed, even as he expressed hope that Governor Ortom would address the plight of Benue workers and pensioners in his second term.