The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike has reiterated that he is willing to pay workers in the state N30,000 as minimum wage if the Nigerian Federal Government also agrees to pay the amount.
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Governor Wike made this promise while laying the foundation of the Ultra Modern Secretariat for the Rivers State chapter of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) on Saturday.
At the event, Wike also said Organised Labour must realise that they are a part and parcel of the building process in the country and should therefore understand that all government revenue cannot be used to pay wages.
In his words;
“We make promises and we fulfil them. The only one left which you are contending with at the national level is the minimum wage. If you people agree, we will pay, but I’m not one of those who made that promise.
The party that made the promise should solve the problem. I’m not here to solve anybody’s problem. (But) if you people agree we will do it. But I will not come and begin to stay in a meeting for 15 hours… that, I will not do but I’m in support. It’s just that your demands are so many. Today it is secretariat, the next day it is increment, the next it is pensions.”
Wike’s comments had come on the heels of the disagreement between organised labour and the federal government over an amount to be paid as a new national minimum wage.
While the Federal Government insists on paying N24,000 as against labour’s demands of N30,000, President Buhari says he is working hard to ensure that the nation gets a new National Minimum Wage Act as soon as possible and has asked leaders of organised labour in the country to show patience and understanding government while the report of the tripartite committee is being reviewed.