It was the usual tale of woes for local Government staff in Benue state when they learnt last thurday that there will be no minimum wage for them. Various Treasurers of the 23 local Governments who came back from the monthly allocation meeting in Makurdi directed various pay clerks to prepare new payment vouchers based on the old rate. Prior to this, payment vouchers were prepared awaiting payment based on the new rate. It may be recalled that the issue of the implentation of the new minimum wage in Benue state has generated a lot of anxiety and tension with labour issuing several ultumatum. A labour leader, Kwaghmande Kwaghmande was detained over the issue. The state Government however signed an agreement with labour to implement the new wage for all workers in November.Efforts to talk to officials of The National Union of Local Government Employees to confirm the new development failed. It has however been comfirmed that state workers have recieved their November salary on the new minimum wage.
