The Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) is currently holding a closed-door meeting in Abuja to discuss the proposed new national minimum wage and local government autonomy. The meeting, chaired by Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, aims to address the contentious issues affecting the nation.
The tripartite committee on the minimum wage had previously agreed on N62,000 as the new minimum wage, but organized labor is demanding N250,000. The presidency has announced that President Bola Tinubu will consult further before making a final decision on the matter.
The meeting also focuses on local government autonomy, as the Supreme Court has reserved its judgment on the Federal Government’s suit seeking full autonomy for the 774 local governments in the country.
Other agenda items include discussions on the Nigeria COVID-19 Action Recovery and Economic Stimulus (NG CARES), Petroleum Profits Tax (PPT), Excess Crude Account (ECA), and Royalties Accounts Reconciliation/Debt Net-off.
Governors from various states, including Oyo, Zamfara, Anambra, Gombe, Ebonyi, Kebbi, Kogi, Nasarawa, Kwara, Niger, Imo, Kaduna, Katsina, Ondo, Ogun, and Kano, are in attendance, along with deputy governors from Akwa-Ibom, Delta, and Borno States.
The outcome of this meeting is eagerly anticipated, as it will have significant implications for the nation’s workforce and local government administration.