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)