FG rejects governors’ N22,500 minimum wage proposal

The Federal Government has made it known it was not in support of the N22,500 minimum wage proposed by the Nigeria Governors Forum.

The Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chris Ngige, made the stance of the Federal Government known on a television programme..

He said, “The governors have not even done enough. I told them that this N22,500 was even rejected by the Federal Government,” he said.

The NGF had stated that they were capable of paying Nigerian workers N22,500 as the new minimum wage as against the current N18,000.

This is lower than the N30,000 proposed by labour.

Ngige added, “The national minimum wage is a national legislation being driven by the Federal Government of Nigeria in pursuance to item 34 of the Exclusive Legislative list.”

Meanwhile, The Nigeria Labour Congress has lambasted the Nigeria Governors’ Forum for pegging the minimum wage at N22, 500.

The NLC subsequently pegged the minimum wage at N66, 500.

The President of the NLC, Mr. Ayuba Wabba, said this at a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday.

Wabba said the NGF was not known to law and was thus an illegal body.

He said all governors should return to their respective states and consult with workers rather than hide under the umbrella of the governors’ forum

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