The Nigeria Governors' Forum (NGF) has rejected the Federal Government's proposed N60,000 minimum wage, saying the figure is unsustainable for state governments.
In a statement released Friday through its Acting Director of Media and Public Affairs, Hajiya Halima Ahmed, the NGF expressed sympathy for workers but cautioned that the minimum wage negotiations involve consequential adjustments across all cadres, including pensioners.
"The NGF cautions parties in this important discussion to look beyond just signing a document for the sake of it; any agreement to be signed should be sustainable and realistic.
"All things considered, the NGF holds that the N60,000 minimum wage proposal is not sustainable and cannot fly.
"It will simply mean that many states will spend all their Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) allocations on just paying salaries, with nothing left for development purposes'' said Ahmed.
According to the NGF, some states would need to borrow monthly to pay workers if the N60,000 minimum wage is implemented.
"We do not think this will be in the collective interest of the country, including workers,'Ahmed asserted.
While acknowledging that a new minimum wage is due, the governors appealed to all stakeholders, especially labour unions, to consider the socio-economic variables involved.
They urged parties to settle for an agreement that is sustainable, durable, and fair to all segments of society with legitimate claims to public resources.
Meanwhile, NGF's rejection of the N60,000 proposal may further complicate ongoing negotiations between the Federal Government and labour unions which earlier rejected the FG's proposed N60,000 as the country's new minimum wage.
Comments