Minimum Wage: Governors Agree to Pay N22,500

• Minimum Wage: Governors Agree to Pay N22,500

The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) has agreed to pay a minimum wage of N22,500, against the N30,000 and N24,000 proposed by the Organised Labour and the Federal Government, respectively.

Abdul’aziz Yari, the Chairman of the Forum and Governor of Zamfara State, disclosed this while responding to questions from newsmen at the end of its second emergency meeting held on Tuesday in Abuja.

According to Yari, the decision was reached after a briefing from the forum representatives at the Tripartite Committee.

He said the welfare of all Nigerians is imperative to the governors, however, the governors are concerned about the deteriorating economic situation experienced by the vulnerable segment of the population.

Numbers of factors were taken into consideration before agreeing to a National Minimum Wage, particularly the health, education and infrastructure sectors, Yaris stated.

“It is therefore our considered position that since the percentage of salaried workers is not more than five per cent of the total working population, our position must not just reflect a figure, but also a sustainable strategy based on ability and capacity to pay, as well as reflective of all our developmental needs in each State.”

“After all, Section 3 of the National Salaries Income and Wages Commission Act provides that “the Commission shall recommend a proposition of income growth which should be initiated for wage increase and also examined the salary structure in public and private sector with reasonable features of relativity and maximum levels which are in consonance with the national economy”

“It is in this sense that we feel strongly that our acceptable minimum wage must be done in such a way that total personnel cost does not exceed 50 per cent of the revenue available to each State.”

“Governors therefore agreed to pay a national minimum wage of N22,500.”

Organised Labour had proposed a new minimum wage of N30,000, saying the economic situation of the country has rendered the N18,000 minimum wage the lowest in Africa and useless to civil servants.

The Organised Labour had instructed all its members to embark on nationwide strike to force the government to pay a minimum wage of N30,000.

At the meeting with governors were the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Dr Chris Ngige and the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Sen. Udoma Udo Udoma.