Minimum wage: We are not enemies, Governors tell NLC

The governor of the 36 states on the platform Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) have said even though they were on the opposing sides with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on the National Minimum wage, they were not adversaries.

“Indeed, the NGF and the NLC may have crossed paths in an unsavory manner in the past, particularly regarding the National Minimum Wage matter where we held different positions, but this should not be construed to mean that we are adversaries, of any sort, for any reason, the Director General of the NGF, Asishana Okauru, said in a statement.

“Both the NLC and the NGF are agents of change, who at that material time found themselves on opposing sides of the national Minimum wage divide. But we are both motivated by the same altruistic desire to serve our country in the most responsible way and to ensure that Nigeria does not drift into an economic abyss from where it would be hard to retrieve as, we are partners in Progress.”

Okauru said Wabba’s re-election to serve another term of four years, followed the remarkable work he is doing towards extricating the average Nigerian worker from the shackles of poverty.

National Council of State last month had pegged the National Minimum wage at N27,000 for the least workers in the states and private sector and federal workers are to get N30,000 minimum wage.

The Governors have consistently demanded that the federal government  rejig the existing revenue formula before states can pay the new minimum wage of N30,000.