NGF Urges Consideration of State Specifics in National Minimum Wage Deliberations

The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) has issued a call for the National Minimum Wage Committee to carefully consider present economic conditions and the unique circumstances of individual states when determining the minimum wage.

This call comes in response to labor unions’ claims that the current national minimum wage of N30,000 has become inadequate due to the country’s high inflation rate, reported at 29.9 per cent by the National Bureau of Statistics.

To address this issue, the Federal Government established a tripartite committee tasked with reviewing the national minimum wage.

Vice President Kashim Shettima inaugurated this committee, which consists of representatives from federal and state governments, the private sector, and organized labor.

The committee’s primary objective is to propose a revised national minimum wage that considers the diverse needs and economic realities of the nation.

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As consultations across various regions have revealed varied demands for minimum wage rates, the Federal Government Minimum Wage Panel has begun compiling reports from public hearings held in different zones.

In a Wednesday communique issued after its virtual meeting, the NGF, led by Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq, highlighted the urgent need for state policing as a vital amendment to the ongoing 1999 Constitutional review process, aiming to address shortcomings in the national security framework.

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Additionally, the NGF addressed concerns raised by the United States Embassy regarding illegal and fraudulent intercountry adoptions of Nigerian children by US citizens.

The forum pledged to engage relevant government agencies to tackle the issue effectively.

Furthermore, the NGF discussed states’ progress in implementing business-friendly reforms, including initiatives to enhance land administration, foster public-private partnerships, attract investments, improve infrastructure, and refine regulatory environments.

The forum encouraged members to leverage available support, such as the World Bank’s State Action on Business Enabling Reforms Programme for Results, to stimulate further economic growth.

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