Governor Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State says it will be difficult to meet the N70,000 minimum wage benchmark with the lean allocation to the state.
President Bola Tinubu had recently assented to the minimum wage following an agreement with joint labour unions.
In a meeting held with stakeholders on the planned nationwide #Endbadgovernance protest at the banquet hall of Gombe Government House, on Tuesday, Yahaya declared that he cannot pay the N70,000 minimum wage and suspected that many other states are in the same predicament.
Yahaya commended the Federal Government for the initiative made following the donation of rice to the state but expressed concern over the delay in receiving the essential supplies in Gombe.
He explained, “We are yet to receive the Federal Government’s 20 trucks of rice to Gombe State.”
He emphasised the state’s commitment to providing relief to its citizens, citing previous palliative distributions and ongoing investments in human capital development, education, health, and agriculture among others.
Speaking on the protest, Yahaya reiterated the importance of peaceful and orderly conduct, acknowledging the role of civil society organisations, labour unions, and traders in maintaining social stability and economic resilience, while commenting on speaking on the planned National protest.
He called for continued cooperation and dialogue to collectively navigate the challenging times.