We can’t pay new minimum wage – Governors

The Governors under the aegis of Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), who met on Wednesday night in Abuja, said though they were not against the upward review of the national minimum wage, they lacked the ability to pay the proposed N24,000.

This is as indications emerged yesterday that organized labour might resume its suspended strike over the issue as early as November 6.

 Briefing journalists on the outcome of the forum’s meeting with the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Wednesday night, Yari said the issue was not just on the agreed figure to be paid by the governors but also the “ability or resources to take care of that agreed minimum wage.” 

Noting that his colleagues made it known that they have no problem with review of salaries but were being real, Yari, who is governor of Zamfara State, said: 

“The problem of the states is the capacity to pay what is agreed. As we are talking today, we are struggling with N18,000. 

“Some of the states are paying 35 per cent, some 50 per cent and still some states have salary arrears. So, it is not about only reviewing it but how we are going to get the resources to cater for it.” Yari’s statement caused a stir in the polity, yesterday.

 There was anxiety that labour leaders who met over the issue last night may call for industrial action. Some state chapters of the NLC, vowed to shut down the country if the minimum wage was not reviewed and implemented. 

The NLC had demanded N30,000 as minimum wage, the governors proposed N20,000, while the Federal Government said it could afford N24,000.