It is not surprising that some of the state governors have resorted to playing pranks with the new national minimum wage after over a year of negotiations with Organised Labour towards the enactment of a law to cement the issue.

The state governors were part of the Federal Government’s tripartite committee which met for over a year. Though government officials claimed that N60,000 was agreed (which Labour strenuously disputed), it is not clear exactly what figure the President Bola Tinubu government initially sent to the National Assembly before suddenly withdrawing it for “further consultations”.

It Is, however, widely believed that government’s delay tactics are mere ploys to buy more time and perfect a possible kinetic engagement with Labour.

Most governors clearly do not want to pay even the N60,000 being touted. Indeed, many states have never bothered to pay even the N30,000. There were recent, undenied reports that a state governor, who often enjoys a massive media hype, pays some teachers in his state a paltry N7,500, while headmasters receive N10,000!

The newly-regrouped Southern Governors Forum, SGF, met an unprecedented second time in one week last week Thursday and called for the states to be allowed to negotiate and pay according to their abilities. If this call is accepted, there will be no more National Minimum Wage, NMW, which is the least amount that the law mandates workers in Nigeria to receive as reward for their labour.

The Issue of further negotiation after the NMW is agreed is predicated on the assumption that workers unions can go ahead and agree with their employers to add to the NMW within the financial circumstances of the employers. It is not meant to detract from the NMW as the lowest wage under the law.

Minimum wage is largely a window dressing in Nigeria. Even if we return to the N3,000 minimum wage of the early 2000s, some states will still default due to corruption and fund misappropriation. Many governors use the monies meant for staff welfare to fund their political projects and line their pockets while workers and pensioners are largely ignored. Unless we see radical attitude changes, a NMW system that conforms to universal recommendations will never work in Nigeria. The “living wage” mantra touted by Labour will never work.

There must be more productivity in the system to generate the wealth needed to pay an acceptable and sustainable NMW. We must elect leaders who can leverage the potentials of this country and create wealth while recognising workers as the commanding factor of production. Governors who want to negotiate down the NMW must also give up perks to reflect the financial status of their states. Politicians cannot live like kings amidst mass poverty.

The burden must be shared.

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