The Nigeria Governors’ Forum has said that the N60,000 minimum wage proposal by the Federal Government is not sustainable and cannot fly as the tripartite committee negotiations continue on a new national minimum wage,
The Governors noted that if the N60,000 Minimum wage is allowed to fly, many States will use all their monthly allocations from the federation account to pay workers’ salaries with nothing left for development.
This was disclosed in a statement issued by the Nigeria Governors’ Forum Acting Director on Media and Public Affairs, Halima Ahmed, in Abuja, the nation’s capital.
She said the governors appealed to members of the tripartite committee to agree on a minimum wage that would be fair and sustainable.
The Forum, however, urges all parties to consider that the minimum wage negotiations also involve consequential adjustments across all cadres, including pensioners.
The NGF cautions parties in this important discussion to look beyond just signing a document, nothing that any agreement to be signed should be sustainable and realistic.
The Forum holds that the N60,000 minimum wage proposal is unsustainable and cannot fly. It stresses that many states will spend all their FAAC allocations on just paying salaries with nothing left for development.
“A few States will end up borrowing to pay workers every month. We do not think this will be in the collective interest of the country, including workers”
The Governors appealed that all parties involved, especially the labour Unions consider all the socioeconomic variables and settle for an agreement that is sustainable, durable and fair to all other segments of the society who have a legitimate claim to public resources.
“The Nigeria Governors’ Forum agrees that a new minimum wage is due, the Forum also sympathises with labour Unions in their push for higher wages”
It would be recalled that the organised labour had earlier rejected the N60,000 proposal and went on a nationwide strike on Monday, 3rd June.