Minimum Wage: FG Targets N62,000, Govs Want N57,000, Labour Demands N250,000

The 36 State governors under the aegis of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) have outrightly rejected the ₦62,000 new national minimum wage proposed by the Federal Government.

The governors made the rejection on Friday night as they declared that they will not pay anything more than N57,000.

Saturday Telegraph had earlier reported that the Federal Government had increased the new national minimum wage offer from ₦60,000 to ₦62,000.

Meanwhile, organised labour under the banner of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) have also reduced its demand from ₦494,000 to ₦250,000.

However, findings by Punch indicated that while the Federal Government may be ready to accept ₦65,000 as the new minimum wage, governors and the organised private sector insist that any figure above ₦57,000 may not be sustainable.

According to insiders, the governors’ major argument is that the states would be left with nothing for developmental projects if they accepted a minimum wage above ₦57,000, as they would have to pay a large chunk of their resources as wages to workers.

Recall that on Friday, the governors said that the earlier N60,000 minimum wage proposal by the Federal Government is not sustainable and cannot fly.

The governors appealed to members of the tripartite committee to agree on a minimum wage that would be fair and sustainable.

Meanwhile, the organised labour might resume their nationwide indefinite strike after negotiations over the national minimum wage ended in a deadlock yesterday.

After calling off the strike on Tuesday, president of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero threatened that if the government fails to meet their demands within five days, then they will resume the industrial action.

Meanwhile the Tripartite Committee on New National Minimum Wage, NNMW, has adjourned the meeting.

According to a source “there was disagreement on the amount. The government offered N62,000 but Labour is now demanding N250,000. The report is to be communicated to the president for further deliberations.”