Minimum wage: Rivers, labour reach N18,900 agreement

Rotimi Amaechi, Rivers state governor

THE Rivers State government has reached an agreement with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the Joint Negotiating Council (JNC) in the state to commence the implementation of the N18,900 national minimum wage.
The Secretary to the State Government, George Feyii, who signed the agreement on behalf of the state governor, Mr Rotimi Amaechi, said the implementation was in line with the National Minimum Wage (Amendment) Act 2011.
Feyii also said the minimum wage was with effect from October 2011, but effective from April 1, 2011.
He expressed the commitment of the government to pay the arrears from April to September within the next six months and urged workers to increase their productivity and commitment to work.
Feyii also reiterated the determination of the Amaechi-led administration in the state to maintain a harmonious industrial working relationship with labour at all times.
The state chairman of the NLC, Mr Chris Oruge, described the agreement as a dream come true, adding that the success of the implementation was borne out of the level of maturity exhibited by labour leaders and the state government.