Governor Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe state has said that his administration cannot pay the new national minimum wage of N70,000.

Governor Yahaya, who is the chairman of the Northern Governors Forum, stated this while speaking at a meeting with labour leaders, civil society organisations, and traders associations at the Government House in Gombe on Tuesday, July 30, ahead of the planned nationwide protest.

He said Gombe State’s limited allocation from the federation account makes it impossible to implement the increased wage package. This is despite the fact that the federal allocation to Gombe and all other states increased since President Bola Tinubu announced the removal of petrol subsidies.

“I cannot pay the N70,000 minimum wage, and I suspect many other states are in the same predicament,” he said

He said even the previous minimum wage of N30,000 was a struggle for many state governments to implement. The governor added that Gombe State is yet to receive the promised 20 trucks of rice from the federal government, intended to alleviate the suffering of its citizens.