Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sule Lamido has stated that Nigeria can pay any amount when it comes to the minimum wage of her citizens.
Lamido made the assertion during an appearance on Channels TV’s Politics Today on Monday.
The remark comes against the backdrop of heightened tension surrounding the negotiations between the federal government and organised labour, with the latter rejecting the proposed N62,000 and N100,000 minimum wage offered by the current administration.
When asked about his thoughts regarding those who insist that the federal government should not dictate the minimum wage to the states, Lamido said given the country’s resources, any amount of minimum wage can be paid to citizens.
“Nigeria is very, very rich with resources. We can overcome any problem. We can pay any amount within reason for Nigerians.
“I mean, if this government could embark on a N17 trillion project… which was not in the budget… it means Nigeria has got the money”, he stated.
Lamido’s recent statement comes on the heels of Nigerian governors saying implementing the N62,000 minimum wage would lead to a 40 % retrenchment of workers.
The governors who proposed less than N60,000 as minimum wage were criticised by the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) in a statement by its head of information, Benson Upah on Arise News Television’s Morning Show.
“They are throwing spanners in the works. While the federal government has even moved up slightly to N62,000, they are saying they can’t pay the N60,000 that was initially proposed. It is an act of mischief,” Upah said.