Minimum wage: Governors take final decision on what to pay

• The governors in a 16-point communique issued yesterday, also advocated that each state be allowed to negotiate the new wage with the labour unions.

As the intrigue and discourse about a new minimum wage continue, some governors have made their position known on the topical issue.

The governors from the Southern part of Nigeria, under the aegis of the Southern Governors’ Forum, said the financial capability of states must be considered in fixing new minimum wage.

The governors said fixing a new minimum for all the states could put a strain on the some subnationals finances, saying States should be allowed to pay what they can.

This is even as the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, NGF, said Wednesday night that it will continue to engage stakeholders to reach a mutually agreeable solution to the new minimum wage crisis.

Although President Bola Tinubu was, in an unusual manner, present at the National Economic Council, NEC meeting often chaired by Vice President Kashim Shettima, did not say anything about the new minimum wage. The vice president said nothing about it either.

However, the governors in a 16-point communique issued yesterday, also advocated that each state be allowed to negotiate the new wage with the labour unions.

“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.

‘’This led to the forum’s discussion on fiscal federalism and devolution of powers,” the communique read.

Rising from a meeting of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, NGF, in Abuja in the early hours of yesterday, governors of the 36 states of the federation promised to remain dedicated to the process and assured that better wages would result from the ongoing negotiations.

At the meeting were governors of Oyo, Zamfara, Anambra, Delta, Gombe, Kano, Imo, Kwara, Ondo, Kaduna, Kebbi, Ebonyi, Sokoto, Ogun States, among others

Deputy governors of Akwa Ibom, Osun, Borno States, and others were also at the meeting.

In the communique signed at the end of the meeting by NGF chairman and governor of Kwara State, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, the governors said: “The Forum discussed the new national minimum wage.

“The governors agreed to continue engaging with key stakeholders to reach a mutually agreeable solution. We remain dedicated to the process and assure that better wages will result from the ongoing negotiations.”