State Governors Take Fresh Decision On Minimum Wage

The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), says the consequential increments in the implementation of the N30,000 Minimum Wage Law would depend on the capacity of each state government.

Naija News reports that this was revealed by Kayode Fayemi, the chairman of the forum and Governor of Ekiti State, while briefing newsmen at the end of the meeting of the forum held in Abuja on Monday.

While reading the meeting’s communique, Fayemi said the forum made the resolution when it met and reviewed current progress in the implementation of the minimum wage law.

Clarifying on the forum’s position and Federal Economic Council’s decision, the Ekiti State Governor said while state governors agreed to the N30, 000, FEC did not determine what happens in the states.

Governor Fayemi said that each state had its State Executive Council, which is the highest decision making body at the state level.

His words: “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.