Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Oyo State has dissociated himself from
call by some governors to reduce the minimum wage of N18, 000 for
Nigerian workers.
The governor said this yesterday at the presentation of the 2016
budget appropriation bill before the state House of Assembly.
He said he was quite aware of the financial challenges currently
facing some states of the federation, but added that what was required
was for the states to look inward and be creative.
“I am not speaking for the governors’ forum or for anybody at all. I
am only speaking for myself as the governor of Ogun state and I am
saying that I am not party to any calls for a downward review of the
national minimum wage.”
Amosun presented the 2016 Budget estimate before the House, resolving
to minimize costs and maximize capacity to generate revenues.
It would be recalled that governors from the 36 of Nigeria said last
Friday that they can no longer pay the N18,000 minimum wage to workers
because of the poor state of the economy,
The governors under the umbrella of Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF)
announced this after their meeting which held at the Old Banquet Hall
of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
According to them, the dwindling prices of oil had drastically
affected their states’ income, saying it was much easier paying the
wages when oil sold at $126 as against the current $41 per barrel.
They therefore sought to have audience with President Muhammadu Buhari
on the economy, resolving that the only way out of the quagmire was to
diversify the economy to agriculture and mining.