Jigawa Governor Suspends Adviser Over Unauthorised N70,000 Minimum Wage Announcement

Jigawa State Governor, Umar Namadi, has suspended his Special Adviser on Salary and Pensions, Alhaji Bashir Ado. The suspension follows an alleged premature statement regarding a proposed N70,000 minimum wage for workers in the state.

The Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Bala Ibrahim, issued an official statement in Dutse on Saturday, expressing the government’s concern over the widely circulated reports that suggested Governor Namadi had approved the wage increase. According to Ibrahim, this information is “embarrassing and premature,” as the committee responsible for advising on the wage increment, led by the Head of the State Civil Service, has not yet completed its assignment or submitted its report.

The governor’s administration promptly set up an investigative committee, chaired by the State Attorney-General and Commissioner of Justice, Bello Abdulkadir, to determine the source and motive behind the unauthorized statement. The committee has been given two weeks to submit its findings.

Other members of the investigative panel include Commissioner for Information, Youth, Sports, and Culture, Sagir Musa; Commissioner for Health, Dr. Abdullahi Muhammad; and the Permanent Secretary of Establishment and Service Matters, Muhammad Hahaha.

This suspension comes as states across Nigeria are reviewing the implementation of a new N70,000 minimum wage. However, Jigawa State has yet to reach a final decision on the matter, awaiting the formal recommendation from the committee.