Abdulaziz Yari, Governor of Zamfara State and Chairman of the Governors' Forum, said this while briefing journalists on the outcome of the meeting of the governors held on Wednesday in Abuja.
The Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) has said it is not against the upward review of the minimum wage, but it is just worried about finding the resources to cater to the new figure, if it is approved.
Abdulaziz Yari, Governor of Zamfara State and Chairman of the Governors' Forum, said this while briefing journalists on the outcome of the meeting of the governors held on Wednesday in Abuja.
According to Yari, many states were still facing challenges with paying the current minimum wage.
His words: "The problem of states is the capacity to pay what is agreed. As we speak, we are struggling with N18,000. Some of the states are paying 35 per cent, some 50 per cent and some states have salary arrears.
“So, it is not about only reviewing it, but how we are going to get the resources to cater for it?”
He also noted that Comrade Ayuba Wabba, National President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), was invited to brief NGF on the performance of states on the use of London and Paris Club refunds.
He said: "We invited the National President of NLC to give us details on how some states performed. Some other states that are not up to date, where are they?
“So, they have signed Memorandum of Understanding with the NLC at the national level and their representatives in states on when they are going to overcome the issue of salary arrears. That has been done and it has been taken to the Central Bank Governor to ensure that those states were also paid.”