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Why states should fix salary of workers

By Kelvin Ebiri, Port Harcou
28 April 2018   |   3:07 am
Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has suggested that Nigerian workers would be better off when respective states are allowed to fix their minimum wages in line with their financial capacity to pay. Wike disclosed this yesterday during a public hearing on the new national minimum wage for Nigerian workers for the South-South geo-political zone in…


Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has suggested that Nigerian workers would be better off when respective states are allowed to fix their minimum wages in line with their financial capacity to pay.

Wike disclosed this yesterday during a public hearing on the new national minimum wage for Nigerian workers for the South-South geo-political zone in Port Harcourt, adding that states across the country vary in financial capacity, hence, making a uniform minimum wage is unrealistic.
 
He said, “The single national minimum wage system is another lie that betrays the distortions in our federation and the structured dislocation of the States in the power equation between the Federal Government and the federating states.”

“It is our view that the country and its workers would be better of, if states are allowed to fix and pay their own minimum wages indexed to the prevailing cost of living and ability to pay. 

When this happens, it is possible that some states may go beyond the minimum threshold to pay a living wage, which is what our workers truly need,” he added.

According to Governor Wike, the previous review exercise failed to give maximum weight to the existing disparity in economic potential and capabilities among the 36 states. He added that it has been difficult for most states to implement the existing N18,000 minimum wage.

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