Governor Oyebanji: Nigerian Governors’ Forum Supports Living Wage Within Fiscal Federalism
Governor Biodun Oyebanji of Ekiti State emphasized that the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) is not opposed to approving a living wage for Nigerian workers.
Speaking at the 7th Quadrennial Delegates Conference of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) in Ado-Ekiti, Oyebanji clarified that the NGF advocates for fiscal federalism, which would enable individual states to pay wages based on their financial capabilities.
Governor Oyebanji stated, “The NGF is not against the living wage, no governor is against the minimum wage, but what we are saying is that it must reflect fiscal federalism, ability, and capacity to pay. No Governor wants to retrench. If there is a minimum wage today without a concurrent increment in what we are earning, no state can pay, and that is the conversation we are having. We want to give you a living wage, but we must look at what comes to the states and whatever is in the best interest of the states and the workers, we will do.”
He stressed the importance of states determining what they can afford to prevent potential workforce downsizing, adding that no state desires to reduce its workforce.
In his address, Governor Oyebanji also urged Ekiti State workers to engage in agriculture, announcing that his administration had cleared over 2,000 hectares of land to be allocated free of charge to interested residents.
He highlighted the critical role of civil servants in the administration, describing them as the propelling force behind the state’s machinery and a key factor in its power structure.
Governor Oyebanji’s remarks underscore the NGF’s commitment to ensuring sustainable wages while maintaining state financial health, highlighting a balanced approach to economic governance and worker welfare.
