Governors from Nigeria’s 36 states have rejected the proposed N60,000 minimum wage suggested by the federal government.
Hajiya Halimah Salihu Ahmed, the Director of Media and Public Affairs for the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), announced this decision in a statement on Friday, June 7.
The governors argue that the proposed N60,000 wage is unrealistic and unsustainable. They believe that implementing such a wage would force some states to resort to borrowing just to pay their workers’ salaries.
The statement from the NGF highlighted that the governors agree a new minimum wage is necessary and expressed sympathy with labor unions advocating for higher wages.
However, they urged all parties to consider that minimum wage negotiations also require consequential adjustments across all job levels, including for pensioners.
The NGF cautioned against signing an agreement that is not sustainable, emphasizing that any agreement should be both realistic and sustainable.
They pointed out that the proposed N60,000 minimum wage would lead many states to allocate their entire FAAC allocations solely to salaries, leaving no funds for development projects. In some cases, states might even have to borrow each month to meet payroll obligations.
The Forum stressed that such an outcome would not be in the collective interest of the country, including its workers.
They appealed to all involved parties, particularly labor unions, to consider all socioeconomic factors and strive for an agreement that is sustainable, durable, and fair to all segments of society that have legitimate claims to public resources.
