The decision to increase the minimum wage for local government staff in Bayelsa State to N80,000 has been approved by the state government following pressure from labor unions. The government also confirmed that it would include the additional payments resulting from discussions on the wage template in the December salaries.
The announcement was made by the state’s acting governor during a meeting with the minimum wage implementation committee and local government council chairmen. Representatives from various labor unions were also present at the meeting.
The governor encouraged labor unions to calculate the adjustments according to the consequential adjustment principle and work with the state team to ensure the differentials are paid along with the December salaries. He emphasized that the decision to implement the new minimum wage was supported by all stakeholders, including the local government chairmen.
Regarding pensioners, the government assured that it would review the federal circular on pension increment and had already approved a N10,000 raise for pensioners. The governor explained that due to financial constraints, the state could not follow the federal government’s template for wage implementation.
He reiterated the government’s commitment to the welfare of civil servants, highlighting that Bayelsa State already pays a competitive wage compared to other states in the region. The governor urged all parties to prioritize the state’s financial stability during negotiations.
The state NLC chairman expressed gratitude to the government for approving the new minimum wage but requested the adoption of the federal government’s template for consequential adjustments and the approval of the N32,000 pension increment for pensioners.