N60k minimum wage not sustainable, say governors

N60k minimum wage not sustainable, say governors

 Governors under the aegis of the Nigerian Governors Forum
(NGF) say the N60,000 minimum wage for workers is not sustainable.

 

In a statement issued on Friday by Halimah Salihu Ahmed,
director of media and public affairs for NGF, the governors said the proposed
minimum wage of N60,000 “cannot fly”.The governors said many state governments would spend their
entire allocation paying salaries, noting that there would be nothing left for
developmental purposes.

“However, the Forum urges all parties to consider the fact
that the minimum wage negotiations also involve consequential adjustments
across all cadres, including pensioners,” the statement reads.

“The NGF cautions parties in this important discussion to
look beyond just signing a document for the sake of it; any agreement to be
signed should be sustainable and realistic.

 

“All things considered, the NGF holds that the N60,000
minimum wage proposal is not sustainable and cannot fly.

 

“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.

 

 

 

“We appeal 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 society who
have legitimate claims to public resources.”

 

On Tuesday, President Bola Tinubu directed Wale Edun,
minister of finance, to present a template on new minimum wage figures and an
analysis of the associated costs within 48 hours.

 

The president’s directive followed the suspension of the
nationwide indefinite strike embarked upon by organised labour over the failure
of the government to fix the minimum wage for workers.

 

The suspension of the strike was to pave the way for further
negotiations between leaders of labour unions and representatives of the
government.

 

Labour had proposed N615,500 and then N494,000 as the new
national minimum wage, which the government said was unrealistic.

 

At a meeting between leaders of the labour and
representatives of the government, George Akume, secretary to the government of
the federation (SGF), said Tinubu is committed to a national minimum wage
higher than N60,000.

 

 

Source: N60k minimum wage not sustainable, say governors

 - NigerianEye

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