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Governors Should Decide Minimum Wage For State – Ex Pres. Aide
Doyin Okupe, an Ex-Presidential Aide has faulted the national minimum wage Act which mandates Governors of all the Nigerian 36 states to pay a uniform minimum wage to workers in their various states.
Speaking as a guest on Channels Television’s Politics Today on Friday 10th June, Okupe said all governors should be allowed to decide on the amount they can pay.
“We should not make laws that is all-encompassing that makes it compulsory for all governors in the federation to obey them. They are sub nationalities on the own.
“I mean for instance, if you pay a minimum wage in Lagos, why should I pay that in Sokoto? Let every governor decide for his own state by his own people that this is what I can afford,” Okupe said.
He said what the President should concern himself about is the Federal Government and allow the states and the labour unions at the state level to agree on minimum wage.
For several months, there have been a back and forth between labour and the Federal Government on what the new minimum wage should be.
At the expiration of an ultimatum issued by labour on May 31, the unions embarked on strike on June 3, shutting down businesses across the nation.
The action was however suspended on Tuesday after the Federal Government promised to increase the minimum wage to an amount bigger than N60,000 as they resume negotiations.
