Industrial crisis appears imminent as governors have announced that they would not be able to afford the agreed national minimum wage.

Governors under the aegis of Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), who met on Wednesday night in Abuja, said though they were not against the upward review of the national minimum wage, they lacked the ability to pay the proposed N24,000.

Minister of Labour and Employment Chris Ngige had last week told reporters that while Labour unions were demanding N30,000 per month, Federal Government proposed N24,000 and state governors N20,000.

However, it is doubtful if the leadership of the labour unions would accept the N24, 000, which they claimed was “unilaterally” adopted by the Federal Government.

Indication to that effect emerged as the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has summoned an emergency meeting for next week to take a decision.

Chairman of NGF and Governor of Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari, who briefed journalists on the outcome of the meeting, disclosed that the governors also met with the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Ayuba Wabba, who briefed them on how many states complied with the agreement signed to clear salary arrears.


According to him, the issue was not just on agreed figure to be paid by the governors, but the “ability or resources to take care of that agreed minimum wage.”

Asked whether the issue of minimum wage was part of the agenda of the meeting, Yari said: “We didn’t discuss minimum wage because that is in the hands of the Federal Government, because it is on the Exclusive List. But like we said, we can do minimum wage on any amount we need but the issue is the ability to pay the minimum wage agreed. In the last meeting which the minister of Labour attended with the negotiation committee and also the committee that we also set up, we made it clear that we are not against the upward review of salary, we are in tandem with the NLC to get the minimum wage reviewed but the problem we are having is the capacity to pay what is agreed.


“As at today, most of the states are struggling to pay the N18,000 minimum wage. Some states are paying between 35 to 50 percent of the minimum wage and some states are owing salary. Ifwesaywearegoingtodo anupward reviewof the minimum wage, it is not about only reviewing it but how we are going to get the resources to cater for it.”

On the Paris Club refund which the Federal Government disbursed to states on the condition that they use larger percentage of the money to pay workers’ salaries, Yari said while some states had recorded some progress in line with the condition they signed with the Federal Government, others were still owing arrears

“We invited the national president of NLC to give us details on how some states performed. Some other states that are not up to date, where are they?

“So they have signed Memorandum of Understanding with the NLC at the national level and their representative in states on when they are going to overcome the issue of salary arrears.

“That has been done and it has been taken to the Central Bank (of Nigeria) governor to ensure that those states were also paid.”

However, the National Economic Council (NEC), which met yesterday failed to discuss the issue of a new national minimum wage despite threat by workers to embark on an indefinite strike.

According to Bauchi State Governor, Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar who briefed the press, “the issue of minimum wage was not discussed at NEC today.”

“Unfortunately that was not discussed at the National Economic Council meeting. Secondly, governors are part and parcel of the negotiation. The governors have not taken a decision either way because its a negotiating process and it’s still ongoing. We are represented by six governors in the committee. It’s a work in progress and am sure we will get to the promised land,” he stated.


On Wednesday, General Secretary of NLC, Peter Ozo-Esan, told an online media that the committee set up by the workers’ union had adopted (through a motion) to recommend N30,000 as minimum wage. According to him, the motion was moved and seconded by members from the labour union and the employers’ representatives.

Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, on October 10 after Federal Executive Council meeting had refuted media reports quoting Wabba as saying that the tripartite committee discussing the demand for new minimum wage had agreed to increase it from the current N19,200 to N30,000.

“Such information is not true,” he said.

Ozo-Esan insisted that the tripartite committee adopted a figure and “that is the only relevant thing in the issue.

“If Ngige is manufacturing something that was not agreed at the table, that is his problem. We have called our organs for an emergency meeting that will hold next week and the next step will be taken from there,” he said.

National President of United Labour Congress (ULC), Joe Ajaero, on October 16, said labour would not sign any agreement with the Federal Government on new national minimum wage if it was below N30,000.

NLC which had initially demanded a N50,000 minimum wage for workers, called out workers on a one week warning strike a fortnight ago.

https://www.akelicious.net/2018/10/minimum-wage-we-cant-pay-n24-000-ngf.html

It's well

Then fūck off let smart people fūck in

You're occupying a space you shouldn't be occupying thereby obstructing the flow of development

Height of wickedness!

Gov that spend millions on themselves daily can't pay minimum of 24 k per month, rubbish!

Truth is most of the states are known to currently be incapable of paying the current 18k minimum wage

so truly this will really not be acceptable to them as it's not just about agreeing to pay BUT BEING CAPABLE OF DOING SO.



Indeed there was a nation!

Of course we know they can't, but they can loot what will pay workers double that amount

Armed robbers called politicians

This country is turning into something else

MallamJackson:
Truth is most of the states are known to currently be incapable of paying the current 18k minimum wage

so truly this will really not be acceptable to them as it's not just about agreeing to pay BUT BEING CAPABLE OF DOING SO.



Indeed there was a nation!

Incapable of paying or unwilling to? These are governors that are spending billions on frivolous things. I think it's a case of them no being willing to pay

Of what use is the increment in the wage when the government cannot control market prices?

Useless government

But they can pack dollars inside babanriga? Nigerians vote any Governor or President who refused to pay 30k as minimum wage

rottennaija:


Incapable of paying or unwilling to? This are governors that are spending billions on frivolous things. I think it's a case of them no being willing to pay

You have a point but then again ahh...


recurrent expenditures as salaries are no walk in the park its a monthly thing


ever wondered why some states like Kogi Ekiti Osun are owing months of salary areas?

A governor once quaried: Are we going there only to pay salaries?


you need to be a people oriented person to be able to not owe salaries and yet be seen doing tangible work for the state

and most of our states are not so lucky.

of course they are struggling to pay but they are not struggling to loot.
what a country

The governors are united in corruption.

MallamJackson:



You have a point but then again ahh...


recurrent expenditures as salaries are no walk in the park its a monthly thing


ever wondered why some states like Kogi Ekiti Osun are owing months of salary areas?

A governor once quaried: Are we going there only to pay salaries?


you need to be a people oriented person to be able to not owe salaries and yet be seen doing tangible work for the state

and most of our states are not so lucky.

I don't agree. The cost of running government is too high. Yes, salary is a recurrent expenditure, but if they show you how much they pay in a month, you will realize it's not big.

The main problem is their own recurrent expenditure. Take for example, why on earth will a common commissioner be going around the town with 5 cars on his convoy? How much is he spending on fuel, tires, servicing, feeding those he goes around with?

And if there are say 30 commissioners, you can imagine how many cars and humans they are spending on.

How about SSG? Deputy Gov? Gov himself?

In addition to how much they are looting through inflation of contract, security vote?

Then imagine those in the federal setup, ministers, both Junior and senior, SGF, vp, president, chief of staff.

Then you think about the state legislatures, LG chairman, Federal legislators, senators?

Salary or minimum wage is not had to pay. But these people are so used to these opulent lifestyle that they wouldn't sacrifice it for anything.

Why the heck do we have both the senate and the house of reps?

I still maintain that our cost of governance is too much. That's why we can build roads, hospitals, schools, railways, or pay salaries.

See these useless leaders Nigeria have They acquire billions to themselves but dont want to regard the downtrodden masses.
Even Oshiomole is not interested in labour matters again after tasting power.

hehe abeg, what's all these rubbish i thought they were saying 40k one time like that

The Labour leaders should've stick to their guns.

If they pay, they would not have enough money to steal .....

my comment is not related to the topic.
before anyone condemns me, atiku or buhari, I'm not voting any....they've not helped Me in anyway. I'm only a realist.

*But Nigerians have failed to understand that if atiku comes in, he's gonna spend complete 8 years and that means power would have been in the north for 12 years including buharis tenure.
*His coming in is to recover all the money he is spending now. for those saying he's gonna change the economy, we said the same thing about buhari. both APC and PDP are thieves. if anyone is coming from a neutral party, we can think of change but not these two parties.
*the Igbos supporting atiku, don't complain of marginalization later coz trust me, after atiku, northerners will still rise again to run for presidency and going by power sharing, its a westerner that'd come in after atiku.
*good Nigerians, please, see beyond sentiments, I stand corrected though, but better the devil you know than the Angel you don't. I'm not advocating for buhari but if you be sincere with yourselves, let buhari just finish his 8 years and go, we've survived this far, we can't be broken now. then, we'd have a better Nigeria. atiku will spend ooo but he'd bring us back to the days of Jonathan. obasanjo that doesn't want to forgive him knows why and to the best of my knowledge, obasanjo is the best President that has ever served even if he was also a criminal.
corrections, contributions and criticism are welcomed.... no insults please. thanks.

Imagine! They can pay and even pay more but corruption wouldn't allow them.

Ikegwuru

Hmmmmm..... But you can steal billions

Nigerian leaders are heartless

Ahh

Very wicked demons

Untimely death shall visit all the Governor and leaders both past and present who plunder this nation dry and are enjoying while the masses are suffering.

Governors that wear bullion van to hide dollars can’t pay minimum wage and are boasting of creating state police.

It won’t be well with all of them.