Gombe State Governor, Inuwa Yahaya, announced on Tuesday that his administration cannot afford to pay the newly established national minimum wage of N70,000.
Speaking at a meeting with labor leaders, civil society organizations, and traders associations at the Government House in Gombe, Governor Yahaya, who also chairs the Northern Governors Forum, explained the state’s financial constraints ahead of the planned nationwide protest.
Governor Yahaya emphasized that the limited allocation Gombe State receives from the federation account makes it unfeasible to implement the increased wage package.
He pointed out that, despite an increase in federal allocations to all states following President Bola Tinubu’s removal of petrol subsidies, the financial resources remain insufficient.
“I cannot pay the N70,000 minimum wage, and I suspect many other states are in the same predicament,” Governor Yahaya stated. He also noted that even the previous minimum wage of N30,000 was challenging for many state governments to implement.
Additionally, Governor Yahaya mentioned that Gombe State has not yet received the promised 20 trucks of rice from the federal government, which were intended to help alleviate the suffering of its citizens.
According to NewdayReporters, the federal government had announced the donation of 20 trucks of 25kg bags of rice to each state as part of efforts to mitigate the cost of living crisis in Nigeria.
The governor also clarified that the state received only N2 billion, contrary to the N5 billion palliative that was allegedly given to states by the federal government. He attributed the removal of the fuel subsidy, which has exacerbated the hardship faced by Nigerians, to a decision initiated by former President Muhammadu Buhari and subsequently announced by President Bola Tinubu.
Governor Yahaya explained that President Tinubu had no choice but to announce the subsidy removal, as the National Assembly had not been inaugurated at the time of his swearing-in, and there was no provision for a petrol subsidy in the 2023 budget beyond June.
Governor Yahaya urged the residents of Gombe State to avoid participating in the nationwide protests, warning that such actions could lead to violence and destruction.
