Gabam criticizes governors’ forum over minimum wage stance
The National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party, Shehu Gabam, has asserted that all 36 states in Nigeria have the resources to pay a minimum wage of N60,000.
He made this statement during a live appearance on Channels TV on Sunday evening.
Gabam’s remarks came in response to a statement issued by Hajiya Halimah Salihu Ahmed, Director of Media and Public Affairs for the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), which argued that state governments could not afford to pay a N60,000 minimum wage.
The governors described the proposed wage as unsustainable, stating that it would force many states to take on additional loans to meet salary obligations.
The NGF’s statement read, in part, “The N60,000 minimum wage proposal is not sustainable and cannot fly. It would result in many states using all their FAAC allocations solely for salaries, leaving nothing for development purposes. Some states may even have to borrow to pay workers monthly, which is not in the collective interest of the country, including the workers. We appeal for all parties involved, especially the labor unions, to consider all socioeconomic variables and settle for a sustainable, durable, and fair agreement for all segments of society who have legitimate claims to public resources.”
In response to the NGF’s position, Shehu Gabam argued that any competent governor could pay the N60,000 minimum wage without needing to borrow.
He suggested that governors should focus on removing ghost workers from payrolls and prioritize their expenditures effectively.
“I totally disagree with the NGF’s stance,” Gabam said. “Any serious governor who sets the right priorities can pay N60,000 comfortably within the civil service structure, particularly at the state level. The number of ghost workers in the system is shocking. A governor who is tough on system efficiency and removes ghost workers can manage this. It’s not about the size of the civil service but its efficiency. States can pay N60,000 without borrowing.”
Gabam also questioned the use of security votes and other insignificant projects that do not impact citizens, implying that better management of these funds could help meet the proposed wage increase.
