Governors elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have expressed their support for organized labour’s push for a new national minimum wage. This was conveyed in a communiqué issued on Wednesday after their meeting in Enugu.
The PDP governors emphasized that the final agreement on the new minimum wage must be realistic, considering the financial capacity of all tiers of government. They described the demand for a salary increase by workers’ unions as “eminently justified” in light of the worsening economic hardship in the country.
“While the Forum fully supports labour’s demand, the agreement must consider the ability to pay by the local government, sub-national, and federal government,” the communiqué stated. “While negotiations are ongoing, we appeal for restraint in both utterances and actions that could lead to the complete breakdown of law and order and ultimately, the collapse of the economy.”
### The Minimum Wage Saga
In recent months, labour unions, federal and state governments, and the private sector have been engaged in extensive discussions about a new minimum wage. The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) initially proposed N494,000 as the new minimum wage, citing inflation and economic hardship, while rejecting the federal government’s proposed N60,000 offer.
On June 3, labour unions disrupted the nation’s economy due to the minimum wage dispute. By June 7, state governors under the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) declared a N60,000 minimum wage unsustainable. During the latest tripartite committee meeting, labour rejected the government’s N62,000 proposal and lowered their demand to N250,000.
The federal government has asked the labour unions to propose a more realistic and sustainable wage. Labour, however, has remained firm on a N250,000 minimum wage. President Bola Tinubu directed Wale Edun, Minister of Finance, to present the cost implications of a new minimum wage. Mohammed Idris, Minister of Information and National Orientation, said this presentation would guide further negotiations.
On Monday, Idris announced that an executive bill on the new minimum wage will be sent to the National Assembly after President Tinubu meets with organized labour on Thursday.
