All may not yet be settled on the issue of the new minimum wage if words coming out from the governors’ forum is anything to go by.
The forum chaired by Ekiti State governor, Fayemi revealed the position of the governors after its meeting on Monday.
Fayemi said that the implementation of the consequential adjustment on workers’ salaries is yet to be decided by the state governors and respective labour unions in the state even as he noted that the new minimum wage of N30,000 is not legally binding on state governments.
While clarifying that state governments are not under purview of the national law, mentioned by Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, as being one to be respected and followed by all, the states were a part of the tripartite committee that decided on the modalities of the new wages.
“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.”
The Ekiti state governor said the state governments have accepted the N30,000 new minimum wage and will sit down to negotiate with its workers on how to achieve the wages.
“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,” he said.
“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.”
Meanwhile, the Kaduna State government has started paying the new minimum wage to members of its workforce.
