Lucky Obukohwo, Reporting
Workers of the Edo State House of Assembly, under the platform of Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN), have worn black to protest the non-implementation of the new minimum wage.
The workers staged the protest barely 24 hours after the State lawmakers organized a reception to appreciate the staff for their support in the past two years.
Recall that former Governor Godwin Obaseki had on April 29, 2024, announced an upward review of minimum wage in the state from N40,000 to N70,000, which was also increased to N75,000 by Governor Monday Okpebholo on May 1 this year.
While it could not be confirmed if the latest increment has been received by the state civil servants, it is however on record that Obaseki implemented the N70,000 minimum wage effective May 1, 2024.
An insider source disclosed that the Assembly workers at a meeting last Friday, resolved to wear black dresses to the office as part of a protest against the non-implementation of the minimum wage.
The source added that at last week’s meeting, the staff resolved to issue a 21-day strike notice to the leadership of the House, beginning from Monday, June 16, 2025.
According to the Assembly workers, more than a year after the approval of the N70,000 minimum wage, they were yet to receive their wages, whereas staff of other government ministries, agencies and departments have started enjoying the new wages, let alone the additional N5000 minimum wage by Governor Okpebholo.
It was further gathered that the staff are agitating over the non-implementation of CONLESS, a new special salary scheme for
Staff of the Houses of Assembly nationwide which follows the financial autonomy granted to them by the Federal Government.
They are further angered that after being involved in the fight for the House of Assemblies to have financial autonomy, they were left in the lurch as they were now being denied what is due to them.
Meanwhile, the Speaker of the House, Blessing Agbebaku, had during the reception for the workers on June 16, 2025, commended them for their supportive role since their formal inauguration as lawmakers in the House. He assured the workers that their interests and welfare are paramount to them.
“Today we are celebrating our workers to make them know that we love them, to let them know that their interest and welfare are paramount in our hearts.
“Today, we want to celebrate our workers. That is why we are here to celebrate them, because without these staff, there is nothing the members can do. That’s the truth. We are soldiers here.
“Soldiers go and Soldiers come, barracks remain. Our staff are the barracks and they are made to be here for 35 years. The maximum term a lawmaker can serve is 8 years. If you are lucky you can spend 16 years.
“On behalf of my colleagues, I want to give you kudos. I want to praise you and thank you all for standing by us.
“Anytime there is a crisis once we speak to you, you always calm down. I want to thank you all for being there for us”, he added.
The Speaker, who acknowledged that there are some agitations by the workers, however, described the agitations as no issues, assuring that “we are going to resolve it.