The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors Forum has thrown its weight behind organized labour’s call for a minimum wage increase, urging the federal government to consider the economic realities of states in the negotiation process.
In a communique read by Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, after their meeting in Enugu on Wednesday, the governors expressed support for labour’s “eminently justified” demand, citing the widespread hardship and impoverishment of Nigerians.
While urging restraint in the negotiation process to avoid a breakdown in law and order, the governors warned that the protracted negotiation was taking a toll on the economy. They attributed the economic hardship to the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led federal government’s “wrong economic policies”.
The communique read in part: “The minimum wage negotiation is becoming unduly protracted… The labour demand for salary raise is eminently justified and commands the total support of the forum.” However, the governors cautioned that any agreement must consider the ability of states to pay, adding: “All negotiations are ongoing. We appeal for restraint in both utterances and actions…”
