The Nigeria Governors’ Forum, on Thursday, provided reassurance to the Nigeria Labour Congress, Trade Union Congress, and workers regarding an enhanced and sustainable minimum wage.
In January, President Bola Tinubu established a tripartite committee comprising government, labour, and private sector representatives to evaluate the N30,000 minimum wage implemented during former President Muhammadu Buhari’s tenure.
Recently, the two main labour organizations, the NLC and the TUC, submitted a proposal of N615,000 as the new minimum wage to the committee.
Despite the celebrations of May Day on Wednesday, the government refrained from announcing a new minimum wage, stating its hesitance to accept labour’s proposal.
In a communique released after its virtual meeting on Wednesday, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), signed by its Chairman and Kwara State Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, and shared with journalists on Thursday, clarified that the 37-member tripartite committee assigned to review the National Minimum Wage is still in the process of consultations and has not finalized its work.
The governors’ forum emphasized that it is carefully evaluating the fiscal capacity of each state government and the potential impacts of various proposals to determine an improved minimum wage that can be realistically sustained by the states.
The communique expressed, “The Forum extends its felicitations to workers nationwide for their commitment to service and their patience, as we collaborate with the Federal Government, labour, the organized private sector, and other relevant stakeholders to reach an implementable national minimum wage.
“We recognize the different measures taken recently, including wage awards and partial adjustments; however, it’s crucial to clarify that the 37-member tripartite committee set up for the National Minimum Wage is still in the process of consultation and has not finalized its findings.
“As committee members, we are assessing our respective fiscal capacities as state governments and the potential effects of various proposals to determine an enhanced minimum wage that we can feasibly sustain. We are dedicated to the process and assure that improved wages will be the inevitable result of ongoing negotiations.”
As outlined in the communique, the governors also praised the departing Country Director of the World Bank, Shubham Chaudhuri, and welcomed the incoming Country Director, Ndiame Diop.
It was disclosed that Chaudhuri commended the Forum for its strategic role in coordinating collective efforts for developmental progress.
The NGF’s statement indicated, “He lauded the non-partisan nature of the forum, the professionalism of its Secretariat, and the commitment of state governments to mutual accountability mechanisms such as performance-based financing interventions by the Bank. Members expressed trust in Mr. Diop’s selection to lead future collaborations and anticipate a sustained and strengthened partnership.
“The Forum deliberated on the revised National Policy on Justice (2024 – 2028) from the recently concluded National Summit on Justice on April 24th & 25th, 2024. Members agreed to review the recommendations from the summit concerning their respective States, including proposed legal amendments, administrative enhancements, and policies to bolster the justice sector.
“Additionally, the forum pledged to address concerns regarding the compensation of state judicial officers and the infrastructure of the Courts.”
“The forum received a presentation from the National Human Capital Development (HCD) Program – Core Working Group Secretariat, led by Ms. Rukaiya El-Rufai and Dr. Ahmad Abdulwahab. Both emphasized the incremental progress achieved by States and its impact on Nigeria’s Human Development Index (HDI), particularly in areas such as health, nutrition, education, and labor force engagement.
“After reviewing the previous program design and national strategy, a revised governance and implementation roadmap was proposed to enhance impact and ensure long-term sustainability. Members committed to supporting the effective integration of the proposed revisions into the national HCD strategy.”
The Forum also extended condolences to the Governors of Rivers State, Siminalayi Fubara, and Ogun State, Prince Dapo Abiodun, following the petrol tanker explosion and gas explosion incidents on April 26th and 27th, 2024, respectively.
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