Implementation of Minimum Wage Hinges on States’ Capacity -NGF

• Implementation of Minimum Wage Hinges on States’ Capacity -NGF

The implementation of the consequential increments of the new minimum wage depends on states’ capacity to pay, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum stated on Monday.

Dr. Kayode Fayemi, the Governor of Ekiti State and the Chairman of NGF, made the statement while briefing newsmen at the end of the forum’s meeting in Abuja.

Fayemi said the forum agreed after reviewing the progress recorded so far in the implementation of the minimum wage law.

He also said while state governors agreed to the Federal Economic Council’s decision of N30,000 minimum wage, the FEC did not determine what happens in the states.

He, however, said State Executive Council, the highest decision-making body at the state level will determine the right wage based on each state capacity to pay.

“The forum as the representative body of the states keenly followed what happened in the negotiations that led to that template.

“As far as we are concerned, the best the forum can do is to stick with what has been agreed with the states. States are part of the tripartite negotiations.

“States agreed to that N30,000 minimum wage increase.

“States also know that there will be consequential adjustment but that will be determined by what happened on the state-by-state basic.

“Because there are different number of workers and different issues at the state level.

“Every state has its own trade union joint negotiating committee and they will undertake this discussion with their state governments.

“The day after this agreement was reached with labour, it was on record that I was on a national television and made the position of the governors clear.

“That for us this was a national minimum wage increase, not a general minimum wage review.

“Yes, that may necessitate consequential increment, we have no doubt about that but that is a matter for the states to discuss with their workers,” he said.

Fayemi commended the efforts of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control and the National Primary Health Care Development Agency to nip in the bud the August yellow fever outbreak in parts of the country.

“Members commended the progress made by state governments through their Social Health Insurance Authorities to enrol and provide health insurance cover for citizens across the country.

“In the last one year, state governments have registered over two million people compared to five million Nigerians registered under the National Health Insurance Scheme over the last 14 years,” he said.