We can’t Pay N60,000 As Minimum Wage, It Is Not Sustainable – Nigerian Governors

Nigerian governors, under the aegis of the Nigerian Governors Forum, have rejected the proposed N60,000 minimum wage for Nigerian workers, saying it is neither sustainable nor realistic.

This is coming days after the federal government gave in to pressure from labour unions to raise the minimum wage above N60,000. The federal government is expected to announce a new proposed wage soon.

In a statement issued on Friday by the NGF’s Director of Media and Public Affairs, Halimah Ahmed, the governors expressed concerns that adopting the N60,000 minimum wage would force many states to allocate their entire Federal Account Allocation Committee funds to salaries, leaving no budget for development projects.

The statement read, “The Nigeria Governors’ Forum agrees that a new minimum wage is necessary and sympathises with labour unions in their demand for higher wages. However, the forum urges all parties to recognise that minimum wage negotiations impact all wage levels, including pensioners. The NGF cautions that any agreement should be sustainable and realistic rather than a mere formality.”

The NGF further stated that the N60,000 minimum wage would not serve the country’s collective interests, including those of the workers.

The forum called on all parties involved in the negotiation, particularly labour unions, to consider the socioeconomic factors and reach a sustainable agreement. 

“We urge all parties, especially labour unions, to consider all socioeconomic variables and come to an agreement that is sustainable, durable, and equitable for all segments of society,” the statement added.

Organised labour has vowed to reject any minimal increase to the N60,000 offer proposed by the tripartite committee on the new minimum wage.

Visit http://www.westafricaweekly.com for more news on labour union demands.

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