The Bayelsa state government has commenced the payment of the new minimum wage and arrears to civil servants.

Governor Douye Diri had announced the commitment to implement the new minimum wage of N80,000 and the 25 percent and 35 percent salary increment.

Technical Adviser to the Governor on Accounts, Revenue, and Finance, Timpre Seipulo, announced the commencement of the payment of the new minimum wage and arrears.

As reported by The Punch, Seipulo made this known during the Transparency Briefing for March and April in Yenagoa on Friday, May 30, 2025.

He disclosed that the salary of the civil servants for March amounted to N6.1 billion, and that of April was N6.5 billion.

According to Seipulo, N266 million was used for salary arrears on the new minimum wage for last year.

He further stated that the Bayelsa State government had a balance of over N174 billion in the treasury at the end of April this year.

The amount used for payment of gratuities stood at N363 million, pension arrears N193 million while N1.7 billion was used to settle the salaries of political appointees for April.

20 governors under fire over N70k minimum wage

Recall that the president of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Alhaji Haruna Kankara, noted that about 20 states are yet to implement the N70,000 new minimum wage.

The NULGE leader disclosed this in response to questions related to the implementation of the new minimum wage concerning the LG workers and primary school teachers in the country.

Legit.ng reports that the minimum wage is important because it protects workers from unduly low pay and ensures a basic standard of living.