Minimum Wage: Nigerian Gov Threatens Striking Workers, Issues Ultimatum, “I’ll Replace You”

• Governor Francis Nwifuru has threatened to withhold the salaries of civil servants and replace any worker participating in the NLC strike, which began on December 2
• Nwifuru expressed his anger over the strike, asserting that his administration has already made significant wage adjustments, which include N75,000 minimum wage for workers in Grade Levels 1-2 and N40,000 increase for workers in Grade Levels 3-17
• The governor emphasized that workers who fail to return to their offices within 72 hours will be replaced, stating that his government has fulfilled its obligations to the state’s civil service

Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.

Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi state has vowed to withhold salary of civil servants and replace any worker that comply with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) strike action.

Workers shut down Ebonyi, gov reacts

Nwifuru stated this during a Live broadcast held at his office, government House Centenary City Abakaliki on Monday.

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Legit.ng reported that workers in Kaduna, Nasarawa, Ebonyi, and Cross River states have commenced a one-week warning strike to demand the implementation of the N70,000 new national minimum wage and consequential adjustments.

The strike action, which started on December 2, follows a directive from the NLC for workers in states where the new minimum wage has not been implemented.

Nwifuru issues ultimatum to striking workers

But Governor Nwifuru, who recently approved N75,000 as the new minimum wage for workers in the state, was angered by the industrial action of organised labour in Ebonyi.

As reported by The Punch, he threatened to not only withhold their salary but also replace any worker who failed to be in the office in the next 72hours.

According to him, he has done so much for workers in the State and frown at the action taken by their leadership in the state.

His words:

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“If you didn’t go to work. Not only that I will not pay you salary. But I will replace you within 72 hours in your office. And I have called the chairman civil service commission.”

Read more about new minimum wage here

• Minimum wage: Rivers Gov Fubara raises civil servants salaries to N120,000, N140,000
• NLC sends message to governors over minimum wage

Minimum wage: Tinubu’s FG to spend N6.5tn

Relatively, Legit.ng previously reported that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led federal government hinted that spending on personnel costs would increase by at least 60% in 2025.

FG noted that this was due to the implementation of the new national minimum wage and consequential adjustments in federal workers' salaries.

The MTEF report detailed how the budgeted N6.56tn as personnel expenditures in the 2025 budget would secure payment of the new minimum wage.