By Bimbo Ogunnaike
The Chairman of the Governors’ Forum, Kayode Fayemi, says 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 gave the hint after a closed-door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, on Monday.
”We feel that it’s time for the revenue sharing formula to change and we have made a representation to the President and Commander-in-Chief not just under the Buhari’s administration”, he said.
”So, it’s not just something that has been brought out under President Buhari,” he said.
The governor revealed that already the forum had presented its position on the proposed review of the revenue sharing formula to Revenue Mobilization, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) for possible consideration.
”We have also made available our own representation to RMAFC. Every state has a representative at RMAFC as you know and only last week, RMAFC held a retreat on this and other matters and I believe they will communicate the position.
”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 a percentage of consequential adjustment with labour.
”What is happening currently in states and 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, 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.
