The National Union of Teachers (NUT) has expressed concerns regarding the ability of Local Governments (LGs) to pay the newly proposed minimum wage of N70,000 to primary school teachers. This worry arises from the fact that many LGs have yet to implement the previous N30,000 minimum wage.

In several states, including Nasarawa, Enugu, Zamfara, Borno, Yobe, and Kogi, local government employees have not received a pay increase since 2011, when the N18,000 minimum wage was introduced.

Mike Ene, the NUT’s General Secretary, pointed out that some states have not implemented the N18,000 minimum wage for local-level teachers, with some governors arguing that teachers are employed by the local governments. Ene stressed the need for a uniform implementation of the minimum wage, emphasizing that there should be no differentiation.

Regarding the new minimum wage, Hakeem Ambali, President of the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), reassured that once Local Government autonomy is realized, the wage will be fully implemented. He pointed out that governors had previously claimed that local governments were autonomous, which hindered negotiations for LG workers’ wages. However, with the implementation of LG autonomy, this issue would be resolved.

Additionally, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has set a December deadline for all states to implement the new minimum wage, which is expected to increase pressure on state governments to comply. In Kwara State, the Speaker of the House of Assembly has suggested removing primary school teachers’ salaries from the local government budget to ensure timely payment.

States that did not implement the previous N18,000 minimum wage include:

– Abia
– Adamawa
– Bauchi
– Nasarawa
– Kogi
– Sokoto
– Taraba
– Yobe
– Zamfara
– Imo
– Gombe

In other news, the federal government is preparing to implement the Supreme Court’s ruling granting financial autonomy to local governments. Hakeem Ambali, the NULGE president, stated that the committee formed by federal, state, and local authorities had completed their discussions and signed the technical document. He added that President Bola Tinubu is expected to sign the document, and the Federal Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) will begin disbursing funds in line with the Supreme Court’s decision.

On Thursday, Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo issued an immediate order to freeze all state-owned bank accounts until further notice.

The governor also instructed commercial banks, as well as the heads of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies, to comply with the directive without delay.

This announcement was made in a statement by Mr. Fred Itua, the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary.

Governor Okpebholo emphasized that any violations of the order would result in severe consequences.

“All bank accounts with commercial banks have been frozen. Commercial banks must adhere to this order and ensure that no funds are withdrawn from the government’s accounts until further notice,” the statement said.

He also directed that all heads of Ministries, Departments, and Agencies ensure full compliance with the order without any further delays.

“Following the necessary investigations and reconciliations, the Governor will make the appropriate decisions on the next steps. For now, this order remains in effect,” the statement concluded.

The Chairman of Aguiyi Ironsi International Market Association, Chief Chukwuma Onyebinanma, is currently facing serious legal trouble over his alleged attempt to rig the upcoming market election. The Lagos State High Court has extended an earlier order barring him from conducting the election on November 16, 2024, due to concerns over his appointment of biased electoral committee members.

On October 8, 2024, Justice A.M. Lawal issued a ruling against Onyebinanma, prohibiting him from proceeding with the election. The court extended the order by another 21 days, as part of an interlocutory injunction filed under suit number ID/8580GCM/2024. This extension comes in response to claims that Onyebinanma has been actively campaigning and appointing electoral committee members in defiance of the court’s original ruling.

In addition to being barred from conducting the election, Onyebinanma is now facing possible jail time for contempt of court, after forms 48 and 49 were filed for his committal due to his alleged disregard for the court’s injunction.

The suit, filed by Kelechi Oputa, Emeka Ifeora, and Chimezie Eke, seeks to prevent Onyebinanma from proceeding with the election. The court’s restraining order explicitly prohibits any actions by Onyebinanma or his associates that could affect the election or be detrimental to the interests of the applicants.

The court’s ruling has paved the way for the Mushin Local Government to organize a peaceful election, and it has invalidated Onyebinanma’s appointed electoral committee. The order was issued to prevent any potential disorder in the market, where traders were concerned that Onyebinanma’s election would be manipulated in his favor.

Despite the court order, Onyebinanma allegedly ignored the injunction, continued appointing committee members, and distributed election forms to candidates, as his opponents stayed away due to the legal restriction. This has sparked celebrations among traders, who were aware that Onyebinanma’s actions were designed to secure a victory for himself.

Onyebinanma and his supporters were reportedly taken aback by the latest legal developments and were said to have planned to push forward with the election, allegedly even arranging for thugs to disrupt the market proceedings.

Security agencies, including the Police and DSS, have intervened, summoning the parties involved and urging them to adhere to the rule of law. It remains uncertain whether Onyebinanma will comply with the latest court order.