The Nigerian
Governors Forum (NGF) says it is not against the upward review of the minimum
wage.
The chairman
of the forum, Gov. Abdulaziz Yari of Zamfara, said this while briefing
journalists on the outcome of the forum meeting held on Wednesday in Abuja.
He said the
issue was not just on agreed figure to be paid by the governors, but the
“ability or resources to take care of that agreed minimum wage.”
Mr Yari said
the forum had made it clear that the governors were not against any upward
review of salaries or against the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) to get minimum
wage reviewed.
“But, the
problem of state is the capacity to pay what is agreed. As we are talking today
we are struggling with N18,000. Some of the states are paying 35 per cent, some
50 per cent and still some states have salary arrears,” he said.
“So, it is
not about only reviewing it but how we are going to get the resources to cater
for it.”
Mr Yari
added that the National President of NLC, Ayuba Wabba, was invited to brief the
forum on states performance in the use of London and Paris Club refunds.
The Federal
Government disbursed the fund to states with the condition to use larger
percentage of the money to pay workers’ salaries.
He said
while some states had recorded some progress in line with the condition they
signed with the Federal Government, others were still owing arrears.
“So, we
invited the National President of NLC to give us details on how some states
performed. Some other states that are not up to date, where are they.
“So they
have signed Memorandum of Understanding with the NLC at the national level and
their representative in states on when they are going to overcome the issue of
salary arrears.
“That has
been done and it has been taken to the Central Bank Governor to ensure that
those states were also paid.”
Mr Yari also
disclosed that an update was received from the NGF Secretariat on Polio and
Primary Healthcare Under One Roof.
He said
governors expressed commitment to facilitate the development of a minimum
package and investment plan for State Primary Healthcare Boards.
He added
that observations were raised about the issue of PHC, including concern that
the function of the local governments was being taken away.
“It was made
clear by some governors that the PHC has nothing to do with the national, that
it is just a domestic issue of local governments.
“Those
issues were raised, debated and we are going to put a memo in place to the
National Economic Council so that it can be discussed.”
Mr Yari also
said the forum received briefing on the forthcoming 24th Nigerian Economic
Summit (NES) from Mr Laoye Jaiyeola, the Chief Executive Officer of the NES
Group.
“Memebers
commended the group for upholding the public-private dialogue and assured the
team of the full participation of states as the summit will help align
government policies and programmes with the needs of the private sector.”
Mr Yari
added that the forum also took far reaching decisions on the state of security
in the country, adding that the decisions would be channelled to the right quarters
for appropriate actions.
The
governors present at the 8th meeting included the new Ekiti state governor,
Kayode Fayemi, and his counterparts from Kebbi, Kaduna, Lagos, Benue, Niger,
Adamawa, Plateau, and Kogi States. (NAN)
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