“Ajaero Commends Imo, Tells FG, States: Raise Workers’ Pay Too”

Ajaero Urges FG, States to Emulate Imo’s Bold Minimum Wage Increase — According to iReporter Online

President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, has called on both the federal and state governments to take a cue from Imo State’s recent minimum wage increase, describing the move as bold and commendable.

Speaking in Abuja on Thursday at the seventh quadrennial delegates’ conference of the National Union of Civil Engineering Construction, Furniture and Wood Workers (NUCECFWW), Ajaero said Imo State had set a precedent worth emulating. Themed “Building Trade Unions’ Future Through Strategic Organising and Investments”, the conference served as a platform for the NLC president to address pressing labour issues.

According to iReporter Online, Imo Governor Hope Uzodimma recently approved an upward review of the minimum wage from ₦76,000 to ₦104,000, with doctors’ salaries raised from ₦215,000 to ₦503,000 and tertiary tutors’ pay increased from ₦119,000 to ₦222,000.

Ajaero, confirming the authenticity of the announcement, said: “Many people were asking me, is this real? I said yes, this is a verified report from Imo State. I even spoke with the governor earlier about it. It is real and highly commendable.”

He added that the federal government had previously argued that it could pay more but feared upsetting wage structures at the subnational level.

However, according to iReporter Online, Ajaero argued that if a state like Imo—which is not among the highest earners—can afford to pay ₦100,000 and above, then others clearly have room to follow suit.

“This is the whole essence of the minimum wage,” he noted. “It’s a baseline, not a ceiling. States are encouraged to do more. In a time like this, governors should not wait three years for a wage review while people are struggling to survive.”

The NLC president also voiced concerns about developments at the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF). He accused the government of diverting 40% of workers’ contributions, warning that there were attempts to unilaterally amend the NSITF Act.

According to iReporter Online, Ajaero described the move as an infringement on workers’ rights, saying: “This fund belongs to Nigerian workers. We have demanded full accountability and a return of the diverted resources, so that workers can benefit from what is rightly theirs.”

”IREPORTER REPORTS”