State Governors ‘Ready To Pay New Minimum Wage’

Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State on Wednesday revealed that governors are not opposed to a new minimum wage for public workers, dismissing claims that governors are not cooperating with the government at the centre on the issue.

There had been great concerns in some quarters recently over the ability of many states to pay the new minimum wage to be proposed by the Tripartite Committee on Minimum Wage.

Speaking to newsmen on the issue after meeting with Vice-President Kashim Shettima in his office at the State House, Abuja, the governor also said he discussed the security situation in his state with the vice-president.

Sule, who said he was unaware of any state where the government was unable to pay the old minimum wage rate, stated that Nasarawa has been paying the N30,000 minimum wage since 2019 and has also implemented promotions, gratuities and other benefits for workers.

While explaining that governors have not disagreed on matters around plans to review workers’ pays, he stated that a committee established by the Federal Government is working on the minimum wage, and governors are waiting for the outcome.

According to him, “We’re concerned about the welfare of the workers. In fact, we’re paying some special allowances called hazard allowance, even to our medical workers, as I’m talking to you right now. So I don’t think governors have any problem with the payment of minimum wage. I don’t speak for the governors. Our chairman, the Governor of Kwara, actually speaks for the governors and he will do that at the right time to you.

“But it is incorrect, actually, to say that governors are not interested or are not cooperating. What the governors keep saying is that there is a committee established by the Federal Government to work on the minimum wage.