Minimum Wage: Governors Hold Emergency Meeting In Abuja

Governors Move To Avert Labour Strike

The 36 state Governors would on Tuesday (today), hold an emergency meeting to discuss the new minimum wage and possibly agree on a specific amount.

The meeting, which is scheduled to hold in Abuja is compulsory for all the 36 governors according to a statement issued by the Nigerian Governors Forum secretariat in Abuja on Monday.

The statement also requested all the Governors to attend in person.

“Emergency meeting of governors over minimum wage will hold tomorrow at the NGF secretariat, Maitama, Abuja at 5pm.

“In attendance will be all governors, no representation. Various stakeholders including the Minister of Finance, Mrs Zainab Ahmed, and the Minister of Labour, Senator Chris Ngige,” the statement reads in part.

Recall that as earlier reported by Naija News, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo also on Monday, led the Economic Management Team in a meeting with state governors and other stakeholders as part of efforts to reach a compromise on the new minimum wage and avoid an impending nationwide strike been threatened by the organized labour.

Speaking at the end of Monday’s meeting, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, while addressing state house correspondents said, “We held a meeting for us to bring out modalities for us to respond to the emerging problems thrown up by the National Minimum wage Committee and we have very fruitful meeting which necessitated the governors having further meeting tomorrow (Tuesday).

“We will reconvene tomorrow (Tuesday) to brief the Economic Management Team and the Vice-President and we take it up from there.

“The governors will meet to take a position and brief the Economic Management Team. This meeting is only for the Tripartite Committee of the government side.”

Also speaking with newsmen at the end of the meeting yesterday, Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum and Governor of Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari, disclosed that while state governors were willing to pay the new minimum wage, ability to pay and sustain the payment is a major factor to be considered.

“The position of the governors is not very clear to some of you. We are willing to pay any amount but the issue is the capacity to pay,” he said.

“The governors still haven’t come out with any figure.”

“So, by tomorrow (Tuesday), we are going to discuss with our governors on the bill by the Minister of Labour and Employment to the NGF secretariat.

“We will digest it and come up with our own positions as governors because we are critical stakeholders on this issue.”