The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) has reacted to the new minimum wage agreement between the federal government and organised labour, and according to them it only applies to federal government workers.
Speaking after the Federal Executive Council directed the National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission and the ministry of labour to send the “consequential adjustments table” to states and local governments, NGF Chairman and Governor of Ekiti, Kayode Fayemi averred that the FEC does not determine what happens in states.
Fayemi also told newsmen at the end of a meeting with governors in Abuja on Monday October 28, that the Governors’ forum will stick to what has been agreed in different states.
“I am sure you know the FEC does not determine what happens in the states, the states have their own states executive councils and that is the highest decision-making body at the state level,” he said.
“The forum (NGF) as the representative body of the states followed what happened in the negotiations that transpired. As far as we are concerned, the best that the forum can do is stick to what has been agreed with states.
“States were part of the tripartite negotiation and agreed to N30,000 minimum wage. But states also know there will be consequential adjustments. That would be determined by what happened on a state-by-state basis because there are different numbers of workers at the state level, there are different issues at the state level.
“Every state has its own trade union, with a negotiating committee and they would undertake this discussion with their state government. That is simply what we have said.
“The day after the agreement was reached with labour, I was on record on Channels TV, and I made the position of the states clear that for us, we have always been clear that this was a national minimum wage increase, not a general minimum wage review.
“So to that extent, we do not want the media to confuse issues about a national minimum wage increase. And yes that may necessitate consequential increment and we have no doubt about that. But that is a matter for the states to discuss with their workers.
”Every state has its own trade union, with a negotiating committee and they would undertake this discussion with their state governments. That is simply what we have said” Fayemi added.
