The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) has agreed to pay the sum of N22, 500 as new minimum wage for workers, as against the existing N18,000.
Chairman of the Forum and Zamfara State Governor, Abdul’Aziz Yari, disclosed this in a statement at the end of an emergency meeting of the governors held on Tuesday in Abuja.
In a communiqué issued at the end of the second emergency meeting of the Nigeria Governors’ forum held art the NGF secretariat, Abuja, the Governors said salaried workers constitute not more than five percent of the total working population and the interest of the larger population was taken into consideration before arriving at the N22,500 minimum wage.
The communiqué which was read by chairman of NGF, Governor Abdul’aziz Yari Abubakar, read in part:
“Following a meeting of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum where we deliberated on the National Minimum Wage after a briefing from our representatives at the Tripartite Committee, we submit as follows:
“The welfare of all Nigerians is our ultimate concern. In all our States, we are concerned about the deteriorating economic situation experienced by the vulnerable segment of our population.
“In agreeing to a National Minimum Wage however, the Forum is even more concerned about development, particularly in the health, education and infrastructure spheres.
“It is therefore our considered position that since the percentage of salaried workers is not more than 5% of the total working population, our position must not just reflect a figure, but also a sustainable strategy based on ability and capacity to pay, as well as reflective of all our developmental needs in each State.
“Afterall, Section 3 of the National Salaries Income and Wages Commission Act provides that ‘the Commission shall recommend a proposition of income growth which should be initiated for wage increase and also examined the salary structure in public and private sector with reasonable features of relativity and maximum levels which are in consonance with the national economy’.
“It is in this sense that we feel strongly that our acceptable minimum wage must be done in such a way that total personnel cost does not exceed 50% of the revenue available to each State.
“Govermors therefore agred to pay a mational minimum wage of N22,500.”
The Precision recalled that while labour leaders are demanding N30,000 minimum wage, the federal government has already declared its intention to pay N24, 000.
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