Govs awaiting resolutions on ideal National Minimum Wage for workers – Sule
Nasarawa State Governor, Abdullahi Sule, has said governors were not averse to the new national minimum wage for Nigerian workers.
Suke however said the implementation of the new wage will depend more on the resolutions by the tripartite committee set up by the Presidency.
He dismissed claims that state governors were not cooperating with the Federal Government in terms of payment across board.
Prior to Sule’s personal opinion on the issue, there have been concerns in some quarters over the ability of many states to agree to and be able to pay the new minimum wage to be proposed by the Tripartite Committee on Minimum Wage.
The concerns became heightened when reports emerged that some governors became unsettled with the decision of the Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, to raise the minimum wage in his state to N70,000.
But reacting to the claims, shortly after having a private meeting with the Vice President, Kashim Shettima in his office, on Wednesday, Sule, who further explained that his comment on the matter was his personal view, also said he spoke about the security situation in Nasarawa State.
The governor who said he was unaware of any state where the government was unable to pay the old minimum wage rate, stated that Nasarawa has been paying the N30,000 minimum wage since 2019 and has also implemented promotions, gratuities, and other benefits for workers.
While he explained that governors have not disagreed on matters around plans to review workers’ pays, he explained that a committee established by the federal government is working on the minimum wage, and governors are waiting for the outcome.
“We’re concerned about the welfare of the workers. In fact, we’re paying some special allowances called hazard allowance, even to our medical workers, as I’m talking to you right now. So I don’t think governors have any problem with the payment of minimum wage. I don’t speak for the governors. Our chairman, the Governor of Kwara, actually speaks for the governors and he will do that at the right time to you.
“But it is incorrect, actually, to say that governors are not interested or are not cooperating. What the governors keep saying is that there is a committee established by the federal government to work on the minimum wage.
