Why We Must Cut N18, 000 Minimum Wage Or Sack Workers — Governors

Nigerian governors will eventually reduce the federal minimum wage of N18,000 or downsize because of the current economic crunch, the chairman of the body of governors has said.

The chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum and Zamfara state governor, Abdulaziz Yari, said on Thursday that irrespective of public condemnations of the plan, it would not be economically feasible to retain the same workforce and pay same amount of money.

According to him, funds allocated from the Federation Account could no longer sustain the expenses
of the state as the internally generated revenue was still below par in some states.

Governors had two weeks ago declared that they could no longer cope with the N18, 000 minimum wage. The pronouncement caused a stir as Nigerians kicked against it.

The governors of Rivers and Edo rejected the plan.

Emerging from a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the State House Abuja, on Thursday, Mr. Yari said the governors were considering the nation’s economic situation.

“Let me make it very clear to Nigerians, governor’s forum is not the enemy of labour in any way. Rather, we have been working together. But what we are saying, (because not only Gov. Wike but also my friend in the comradeship, Adams Oshiomhole, kicked against the decision)…

What we said is that when the National Assembly enacted the law of paying N18, 000 minimum wage, then the oil was about $118 per barrel and today where we are oil is $41 per barrel. So, if it continues like that definitely we will find it difficult to continue. We have to sit down with the labour and see how we can review; either continue or downsizing, or see what we are going to do.

We want to find a solution because we have to be realistic that we have so many things to touch. There is infrastructure deficit, there is need for security, there are other things like social lives of our people and nation as a state,” he said.

The governor said from the federation account, some states received N400 million, N500 million while others received N55 million.

“And there are other issues, not even the salary, their pension is over a billion. So, how can we continue borrowing and servicing the service aspect of our expenditure, or overhead.

How can we do that?
We are telling the public that we are planning to sit down with the president and his team and the state governors as a team and the experts to come out with the way forward and how we are going to handle the poor state of the economy in the country.

But what we have on ground now will not be realistic if it continues the way it is without having other sources from the economy and still relying on oil that is being sold for $118 dollar per barrel and now down to $41 and think that we can continue behaving or misbehaving the way we are doing, if there is anything like that,” he added.

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Posted: at 4-12-2015 05:47 AM (8 years ago) | Addicted Hero

Against it too

Posted: at 4-12-2015 06:49 AM (8 years ago) | Gistmaniac

Who are dis thieves called governor of nowadays o. I thot PDP led govt wanted to suck us dry until I see a new APC govt whom we thot will redeem us us now d death trap waiting to hang us. Where did we go wrong in voting dis pple o. 18,000?? Compare to wat they waste with their untrained children and d looting. May GOD help us from dis evil governors now.

Posted: at 4-12-2015 07:03 AM (8 years ago) | Addicted Hero

it wil never work  for them ..... them need to
vacate their office first....heheheheh i laugh
after all the looting so labour wil now suffer
it wil not work ooooooh for you
governors....

Posted: at 4-12-2015 08:50 AM (8 years ago) | Hero

These governors na wa oo. So the drop in oil price will not affect ur own salary it is workers that will bear the load... Self centered governors

Posted: at 4-12-2015 09:31 AM (8 years ago) | Hero

This is becoming embarrassing that we are leaving in a country where who human life is no longer meaningful to our so called politicians. How much is N18,000? Most of these Governors lavish money on their girl friends and the money used in feeding their pets is more than this minimum wage. Now they want to pass a bill in the Senate that u cannot just go online to voice your mind and if u do is 2 years imprisonment. God please help your children because we cannot comprehend to this wicked country called Nigerian where our leaders do not have human feelings but just interested in their family welfares. People are dying and they want to still add more hardship, the rot of God will soon descend upon them one-by-one.  

Posted: at 4-12-2015 11:05 AM (8 years ago) | Upcoming

Will the do the same to the political men? Because they are the ones lavishing the money of this country, you guys can't temper with the poor people minimum wage

Posted: at 4-12-2015 12:16 PM (8 years ago) | Hero

 

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Posted: at 4-12-2015 02:23 PM (8 years ago) | Hero

I don't think dat minimum wage will apply to most, probably only to new employees...

Posted: at 4-12-2015 02:53 PM (8 years ago) | Hero

Hmmmm,let's be realistic here,since the economy&oil is high,why not you all government workers,starting from buhari to the least cut down your own salaries,at least we will all know that the change you pple are talking about is working,Rubbish,Change my foot.

Posted: at 4-12-2015 03:15 PM (8 years ago) | Hero