The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has strongly criticized state governors for rejecting the proposed increase in the national minimum wage from ₦30,000 to ₦60,000.
In a statement issued on Friday, the governors deemed the proposed wage hike as unsustainable and unrealistic.
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NLC spokesperson, Comrade Benson Upah, accused the governors of selfishness and insensitivity to the plight of workers.
He highlighted that many states are already failing to meet the current ₦30,000 minimum wage, with only Lagos and Edo states recently increasing their payments to ₦70,000.
Upah argued that more governors are willing to pay a reasonable wage but are hindered by those who violate wage laws.
He emphasized that paying fair wages is crucial for driving the economies of states, and failure to do so only impoverishes them further.
Reacting to remarks by George Akume, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, who expressed his inability to pay his drivers ₦100,000 monthly under the proposed wage, Upah criticized him for discouraging the implementation of a fair minimum wage.
He stressed that the capacity to pay a reasonable wage is a necessity, not a matter of surplus resources.
“Our concern is not at the pleasure of the governor or government officials; it is a necessity, a need,” Upah stated.
He further remarked that those claiming they cannot afford the proposed minimum wage often spend more on non-essential expenditures, implying that the issue is one of priorities rather than financial capability.
