NANS Terms Decentralization of Minimum Wage Negotiation Anti- Worker Agenda

The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) on Saturday condemned the call by former Ekiti State governor, Kayode Fayemi, advocating for the decentralization of minimum wage negotiations.

Fayemi had suggested last week that states should have the autonomy to negotiate their own minimum wage agreements with labor unions.

In a statement on Monday, Abdul-Yekinn Odunayo, the National Clerk of the NANS Senate, criticized this proposal as “anti-worker.”

For months, the Federal Government and labor unions have been negotiating a new minimum wage. Labor unions are demanding N250,000, while the government is offering N62,000.

Fayemi argued that a decentralized negotiation approach would allow states to set wages based on their individual circumstances. However, NANS disagreed, urging the Federal Government to disregard Fayemi’s proposal and instead mandate state governors to implement the new minimum wage if it becomes law.

Odunayo described Fayemi’s statement as “uncalled for” and potentially divisive.

“We urge the Federal Government to ignore former Governor Kayode Fayemi’s call for decentralized minimum wage negotiations with labor. The federal government should compel state governors to pay the new minimum wage once it is signed into law and impose serious sanctions on any governor who defaults,” Odunayo said. “Allowing state governors to determine their minimum wages could be dangerous and unproductive, potentially creating conflicts between the governors and the Federal Government.”

Meanwhile, NANS, led by Pedro Obi, has expressed support for labor unions in their demand for better pay. The student body pledged to continue supporting President Tinubu’s administration in efforts to restore the country’s glory and create conducive conditions for all Nigerians to thrive.

NANS insisted that both federal and state governments must prioritize workers’ welfare and implement policies that improve the living conditions of Nigerians.