Governors from Nigeria’s southern states have urged for flexibility in determining the minimum wage, emphasizing that each state should negotiate wages based on its economic capabilities.
This plea follows ongoing discussions to resolve the national minimum wage crisis affecting public and private sector workers.
The Southern Governors’ Forum made it known in a communique that the new minimum wage should reflect the cost of living, aligning with fiscal federalism principles. This stance was consolidated during a recent meeting of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) in Abuja, chaired by AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State.
“The Forum discussed the minimum wage issues demanded by labour and unanimously agreed that the minimum wage should be reflective of the cost of living and that each state should be allowed to negotiate its minimum wage.
‘’This led to the forum’s discussion on fiscal federalism and devolution of powers,” the communique read.
While these deliberations continue, concerns over the delay in finalizing the wage increase have escalated among workers. Both sectors are experiencing growing unrest, prompting labor unions to contemplate industrial action to hasten the resolution.
President Bola Tinubu, despite attending high-level economic meetings, has yet to publicly address the wage issue. The Vice President, Kashim Shettima, similarly remained silent on the matter during recent engagements.
Labour leaders have highlighted the profound impact of delayed wage adjustments amidst economic challenges exacerbated by fuel subsidy removal and currency exchange policies. Workers across various sectors, including civil servants and private industry employees, feel increasingly strained by the current economic climate.
In response to these mounting pressures, government representatives have reiterated their commitment to reaching a viable agreement.
However, negotiations between labor unions and government bodies have yet to yield a conclusive outcome, prolonging uncertainty for workers eagerly anticipating relief from financial hardships.