The Edo State Government has approved a N70,000 minimum wage package for the staff, just one week after it was reported that the management of Ambrose Alli University, AAU, Ekpoma, bemoaned the institution’s ongoing payment of a N18,000 monthly minimum wage to its employees.
This was revealed following the 235th Regular Meeting of the University’s Governing Council, which took place from April 3 to April 4, 2025, and was chaired by Chief Dan Orbih, the Pro-Chancellor.
A statement by Mike Ade Aladenika,Principal Assistant Registrar and Head of Information and Public Relations of the institution, dated April 10, 2025, and made available to newsmen in Benin City, said the leadership and members of various functional unions at the university commended the Governing Council for the welfare package.
According to Aladenika, the unions pointed out that it was past time for the N70,000 monthly minimum wage to be approved.
According to a March 28, 2025, news article, the state-owned university’s management bemoaned the fact that its employees were being paid the minimum pay of N18,000, whereas the Edo State government’s previous administration, led by Godwin Obaseki, had approved N70,000 for public servants.
In an interview with reporters in Benin City, Mike Ade Aladenika, the institution’s principal assistant registrar and head of information and public relations, lamented the development and pointed out that all attempts to guarantee that workers would receive the N70,000 minimum wage that the government had approved had failed.
“I will make bold to tell you that workers in AAU as of today are still on N18,000 minimum wage while other civil servants are on N70,000. All agitations with the past government were to no avail,” he said.
However, the heads of the unions unanimously conveyed their gratitude for the Council’s adoption of the minimum wage, which would put them on par with their counterparts in the state’s public sector.
“Under the previous administration, our efforts to ensure the implementation of the minimum wage were unsuccessful, and union leaders faced victimization for advocating better worker welfare.”
“But today, the unions did not pressurize the current Governing Council before the approval. This highlighted the Council’s proactive approach to addressing staff concerns,” he added.
According to the university’s image maker, the Governing Council promised faculty, staff, and students “well-thought-out policies” to turn the school around.
Speaking following the Council’s 235th Regular Meeting, he said that Dan Orbih, the chairman of the Governing Council, noted that the Council had accepted the National Universities Commission’s recommendation for a new minimum pay of N70,000. According to him, the new minimum wage is effective right now.
“This move comes after staff members faced challenges under the previous administration, including non-implementation of the approved minimum wage and other welfare benefits”, he stated.
Nonetheless, he encouraged the personnel to return to their work, promising further rewards to those who put in the effort.
