As the impasse over the new minimum wage continues, the 36 Governors
under the auspices of Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), have again
resolved to meet President Muhammadu Buhari over a new national
minimum wage.
This was revealed Thursday by the spokesperson of NGF, Abdulrazaque
Barkindo, at the end of a meeting of the governors.
“It was a very short meeting, of course the very last one for the
year, the meeting welcomed the newest governor in its midst, the Osun
state governor, Adegboyega Oyetola.
“The meeting resolved to meet the president on the issue of the
minimum wage which hopefully will be resolved before the end of the
year. The governors are also meeting the president today to thank him
for the way he has handled the economy,” he said.
Already, we gathered that the 36 governors who are attending an
extended meeting of the National Economic Council (NEC) at the State
House conference centre will meet with Mr Buhari at 12:45pm.
The NGF chairman and governor of Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari, had
after the group’s last meeting before yesterday’s sent a delegation to
meet with Mr Buhari over the issue.
Mr Yari was accompanied to the meeting by Governors Akinwumi Ambode
(Lagos), Atiku Bagudu (Kebbi), Simon Lalong (Plateau), Mohammed
Abubakar (Bauchi), Udom Emmanuel (Akwa Ibom), Dave Umahi (Ebonyi),
Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), and Nasir El-Rufai (Kaduna).
Mr Yari had told reporters at the last emergency meeting of NGF that
it was impossible for the states to implement the N30,000 minimum wage
required by labour unions without downsizing the workforce all over
the country.
He said the only other alternative was for the federal government to
accede to the review of the national revenue allocation formula.
Mr Buhari had while receiving the report of a committee headed by
former Head of Service, Ama Pepple, which recommended the payment of
N30,000 as new minimum wage said he would subject it to all processes
after which a bill would be sent to the National Assembly for passage
into law.
