Former presidential aide, Doyin Okupe has faulted the National Minimum Wage Act, which mandates a uniform minimum wage for workers across all 36 states in Nigeria.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday, Okupe argued that governors should have the discretion to determine the minimum wage for their respective states.
According to him, states are “sub-nationalities” with unique economic conditions, making a uniform wage unrealistic.
He cited the example of Lagos and Sokoto, stating that the economic realities of the two states differ greatly.
Okupe believed that the President Bola Tinubu should focus on the Federal Government’s wage structure and allow states and Labour Unions to negotiate their own minimum wage agreements.
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His suggestion comes amid ongoing negotiations between labour unions and the Federal Government over a new minimum wage.
Recall that the tripartite committee, comprising labour, government, and the private sector, is still meeting to agree on a new wage.
The Federal Government has proposed an increase to over N60,000, but the 36 state governors have rejected this amount, citing sustainability concerns.
In a statement, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) argued that adopting the N60,000 minimum wage would exhaust their monthly allocations from the federation account, leaving little room for other expenses.
The Governors appealed for a “fair and sustainable” minimum wage agreement.
For the Labour Unions, they have temporarily suspended their strike, which began on June 3, as negotiations continued.
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