Kayode Fayemi, Chairman of the Governors’ Forum, has said a review of the revenue sharing formula is still the position of the governors; to enable them implement the new National Minimum Wage without hitches.
Fayemi made this position known when he fielded questions from the press; after a closed-door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Monday, December 23.
He stated that the agitation for the review of the revenue sharing formula by the Governors’ forum; dated right from the administration of the former President Olusegun Obasanjo.
The governor revealed that already the forum had presented its position on the proposed review of the revenue sharing formula; to Revenue Mobilization, Allocation andf Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) for possible consideration regarding the minimum wage.
He said: ”You also know that there is a process to this. The process is that the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission, RMAFC; which has the responsibility for this would do its own due diligence, consult widely with critical stakeholders.
“Now that we have a full-fledged RMAFC in place with a Chairman and other members appointed; it is our expectation that this would be taken up by RMAFC with Mr President in a manner that we have taken it up.
“Whether that would affect negotiation for the minimum wage, I can tell you no. Minimum wage is a law.
“But as I have always said to you, a national minimum wage act is not a general minimum wage review. They are two separate things.”
Fayemi, however, maintained that governors were committed to the minimum wage act; promising that no state would pay anything less than the approved N30, 000.
The governor, however, stated that the consequential adjustment; may not necessarily end up being the same among the States.
“Some of us have started paying N30, 000 as you may be aware. Others want negotiations on the consequential adjustment to end before they start paying the minimum wage.
“And as you may be aware, what has happened so far is that the Federal Government has agreed on a percentage of consequential adjustment with labour.
“What is happening currently in states and the majority of our states have started that negotiation, which is to agree on what that consequential adjustment would be in the state.
“I have also said to many people who have asked me, fingers are not equal at the level of the states.
“So, a consequential adjustment may not necessarily end up being the same, it will be different from state to state.
“But I can assure Nigerians that no state is going to pay anything less than N30,000,” he added.
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