The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Oyo State Council, has said the state-owned tertiary institutions, judiciary and some ministries departments and agencies (MDAs) have yet to receive the new minimum wage.

Chairman of the council, Kayode Martins, stated this during the 2025 Workers’ Day celebration in Ibadan on Thursday.

The theme of the celebration is “Reclaiming the Civic Space in the Midst of Economic Hardships.”

Mr Martins said Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo had approved ₦80,000 as the minimum wage in the state, which has been paid to some workers.

He, however, noted that such approval of an N80,000 minimum wage requires the increment of subvention for some MDAs, state-owned tertiary institutions and the judiciary for them to be able to pay the new wage.

“As we are talking, some MDAs, judiciaries and state tertiary institutions are finding it difficult to pay the increment in salary as a result of the approval of ₦80,000 as the new minimum wage; even the retirees have not been enjoying it either.

“We want the state government and other authorities to take note of this and act on it,” he said.

Mr Martins, however, appreciated the Oyo State government for paying ₦80,000 minimum wage, an amount higher than the one approved by the federal government for workers.

He further said that the new minimum wage was no longer enough for workers due to some policies of the government which caused hardship to the workers and citizens.

The chairman said that the 2025 Workers’ Day celebration was to call the attention of the federal government to the hardship faced by workers and citizens in the country.

Also speaking, Oyo State Chairman of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Bosun Olabiyi-Agoro, said that Nigerians were currently experiencing hardship due to policies of the Bola Tinubu-led administration.

Mr Olabiyi-Agoro said the organised unions in the country would not relent in fighting for the rights of workers and citizens in the country.

He called on the government at all levels to prioritise education, welfare and protection of citizens.

Mr Olabiyi-Agoro said the union would not act as an antagonist to favourable policies of government and would continue to provide useful advice to the government.

The Secretary of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP), Oyo State Council, Olusegun Abatan, commended Mr Makinde for approving the review of pension in the state.

Mr Abatan said that the review had placed the pensioners in Oyo State as one of the highest paid among pensioners in Nigeria.

Speaking, Mr Makinde, represented by his deputy, Adebayo Lawal, pledged the commitment of the government to the welfare of workers in the state and promised not to marginalise them in the scheme of things.

Mr Makinde, who reels out his achievements which included prompt payment of salary and promotions since assuming office, said that the government would continue to support and create a conducive environment for workers to discharge their duties effectively.

“We are committed to eliminating the promotion backlog of workers and ensuring workers are given their dues,” he said.

The highlight of the celebration was the march past by public and private organisations and the presentation of gifts to deserving workers.

(NAN)