New Minimum Wage: NLC/TUC Releases Statement as Governors Say They Cannot Pay N60,000

• The Nigerian Governors Forum has been criticised over its comment on the disputed minimum wage
• Organised labour asked state governors to slash their salaries and allowances and those of their appointees to enable them to pay the new minimum wage of N62,000 proposed by the federal government
• Legit.ng reports that the organised labour described the stance of the state governors that they cannot pay N60,000 or N62,000 as minimum wage as insensitive, wicked and selfish

Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering governance and public journalism.

FCT, Abuja - Organised labour has warned that paying "a miserable national minimum wage" portends grave danger for the nation's workforce.

Labour also stated that paying an unreasonable minimum wage to Nigerian workers will affect the Nigerian economy.

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Minimum wage: Governors acting in bad faith – NLC

The organised labour's latest assertion comes against the backdrop of the 36 state governors, on the platform of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), saying the N60,000 minimum wage proposal was not sustainable and could not fly.

Speaking on behalf of Labour on Saturday, June 8, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) asked the governors to "save the country from a certain death.”

The statement reads in part:

“Government’s policies of fuel subsidy removal, mindless devaluation of the Naira, energy tariff hike by 250 percent and interest rate hike by 26.5 percent will continue to hurt the economy, especially the manufacturing sector and the poor.

“Paying a miserable national minimum wage portends grave danger to not only the workforce but also the national economy as in truth, economies of most states are driven by workers’ wages.

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Why Tinubu, Nigerian governors should pay workers minimum wage above N62,000

“In light of this, we urge the governors to re-think and save the country from a certain death.”

More to read on minimum wage

• Finance minister submits cost implications of minimum wage to Tinubu Thursday
• New minimum wage: Why latest negotiations between FG, organised labour stalled
• FG provides fresh update on minimum wage negotiations, addresses key concerns

NLC/TUC’s fresh proposal surfaces

Legit.ng earlier reported that the president of the Trade Union of Nigeria (TUC), Festus Osifo, insisted that N250,000 as the minimum wage aligns with current hardships.

The organised labour said the demands of the NLC and TUC were clear and just, adding that it remained committed to advocating for the rights and welfare of all Nigerian workers and will not succumb to any form of intimidation.

Proofread by Kola Muhammed, journalist and copyeditor at Legit.ng

Source: Legit.ng