GOVERNOR ADAMS OSHIOMOLE OF EDO STATE NOT WITH OTHER GOVERNORS ON MINIMUM WAGE

GOV. ADAMS OSHIOMOLE

Governor Adams Oshiomole of Edo State, Nigeria has distanced himself from other Nigerian governors calling for a downward review of the current N18,000 minimum wage. He said that in his view the minimum wage which is below one hundred US Dollars is inadequate in the prevailing economic circumstances in Nigeria.

The Governor made his view known when he addressed the Central Working Committee (CWC) of the Nigeria Labour Congress in Abuja, Nigeria on Friday, November 20, 2015. He noted that the N18,000 minimum wage was reached after a thorough negotiation process conducted by the Goodluck Jonathan administration involving Labour, Employers and the Government. He also expressed his support that the minimum wage should be an item for federal legislation and not be left to the State Governments to determine. He noted that workers had a great role to play in the growth of democracy, recalling that workers had contributed significantly to the survival of democracy in Nigeria.

He called for the sustenance of the well being of the Nigerian worker by the government positing that the art of governance has the welfare of the people as one of its tenets. You may recall that recently there were different reports that the State Governors had at their meeting in Abuja said the N18,000 minimum wage was no longer sustainable due to the dwindling economy resulting from the low oil prices.

The national labour unions; the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have both stated that they would seriously resist any downward review of the minimum wage. Infact, both are known to be clamouring for its upward review in line with an agreement which called for its periodic review.