17 Nigerian Governors Speak On Payment Of New Minimum Wage, Send Message To Tinubu

Nigerian governors, under the umbrella of the Southern Governors’ Forum, have called on stakeholders to consider granting each state the opportunity to negotiate the minimum wage it can pay workers.

The governors made the call on Thursday, June 27, a day after the Nigerian Governors’ Forum promised continuous engagement of stakeholders to consider mutually agreeable solutions over the crisis emanating from minimum wage controversies.

Tinubu attends NEC meeting

According to Vanguard, President Bola Tinubu attended the National Economic Council (NEC) meeting in an unusual manner. Vice President Kashim Shettima has often chaired the NEC meeting. However, neither the president nor his vice president made any comment about the new minimum wage.

However, organized labour has raised an alarm that workers in the private and public sectors were becoming restive due to the delay in reaching a conclusion on the new minimum wage. The union said this development was pushing the labour leaders to declare industrial action to fast-track the process.

Why governors called for devolution of power

In a communique on Thursday, the southern governors called for room to allow each state to negotiate the new minimum wage with organized labour.

They added that they discussed the concept of fiscal federation and devolution of powers.

The communique reads in part:

“The Forum discussed the minimum wage issues demanded by labour and unanimously agreed that the minimum wage should be reflective of the cost of living and that each state should be allowed to negotiate its minimum wage.”