I cannot pay N70,000 minimum wage with lean allocation – Gombe state Governor

Governor Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State has stated that his administration is unable to pay the new national minimum wage of N70,000.

Governor Yahaya, who also serves as the chairman of the Northern Governors Forum, made this declaration during a meeting with labor leaders, civil society organizations, and traders’ associations at the Government House in Gombe on Tuesday, July 30, ahead of the planned nationwide protest.

He explained that Gombe State’s limited allocation from the federation account makes it unfeasible to implement the increased wage package, despite the fact that the federal allocation to Gombe and other states has increased since President Bola Tinubu announced the removal of petrol subsidies.

He mentioned that even the previous minimum wage of N30,000 was difficult for many state governments to implement. The governor also noted that Gombe State has yet to receive the promised 20 trucks of rice from the federal government, which were intended to alleviate the suffering of its citizens.

“I cannot pay the N70,000 minimum wage, and I suspect many other states are in the same predicament,” he said