SAN FRANCISCO, October 07, (THEWILL) – The Chairman of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) and Governor, Ekiti State, Dr Kayode Fayemi, has stated that governors were not divided on the new minimum wage implementation.
According to him, they do not see the national minimum wage increase as a general wage review.
Fayemi, who spoke with The Nation on the phone, said: “We are not divided. We have agreed to the national minimum wage and we are paying. Even if we do not agree, the National Minimum Wage is already a law which is binding.
“Our proposal during the negotiation was N24, 500 minimum wage but at the end of the negotiation, N30, 000 was the agreed figure and we abide by that because it is now a law.
“However, governors are very clear that a national minimum wage increase is not tantamount to a general wage review.
“Whilst we know that there may be a need for a minimal consequential adjustment, we (governors) are together with the Federal Government that this should not exceed nine per cent.
“We think nine per cent is too much for those who are already earning above the minimum wage.
“It is a minimum wage increase; it is not a national wage review in the sense that it affects those who are earning below N30, 000.”
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