bjtinz:
Unlike his Kogi State counterpart who was merely playing to the gallery, Umahi is clearly speaking from the heart here and he's one of the few performing govnors I respect.

W[b]hat he has said is the bitter truth. Apart from Lagos and Rivers, I dont see any other state paying the new min wage.

[/b]
Not true, most state guvnors are cornering money for themselves.
Edo has paying N25k just before Oshiomhole handed over and the govnor has been saying is agreed Edo 'll pay. Even, the guvnor has said he 'll pay.
So, leave Edo out our govt is far more responsible that most states.

jrusky:


Ordinary 18k have they paid? Bro these dude are demons I can never take them serious. You can't pay 18k without owing in arrears and now want to pay 30k pls how?

I believe they can if only they can stop thinking about themselves and their families.

omohayek:
As much as so many on here would like to wish it were otherwise, the governor is simply speaking the truth, at least as far as affordability is concerned: No more than 2 or 3 of the 36 states have the financial cushion required to support this minimum wage hike, and that would remain the case even if every single governor, state representative, LGA chairman and all the rest were made to work for free from here on out. This is a simple matter of arithmetic, which no amount of moaning about excessive big-wig salaries will change.

If anything, Umuahi understates the harsh financial realities facing most Nigerian states, as the truth is that most "states" are simply not viable as self-standing entities, and they would quickly collapse if the ridiculous "federal allocation" feeding bottle system were ended, or even merely changed to a system of 1:1 grants matching IGR. It is sheer nonsense to argue for states to be given ever more "autonomy" even as they grow ever more dependent on funds from the FG to keep their heads above water, and even that was something they weren't managing before the new minimum wage hike. Has everybody already forgotten that Buhari has had to repeatedly bail out the states in the last 4 years?

These are entities which were already devoting nearly every kobo they got from the FG to the payment of (often late, and even then only partial) salaries, to the exclusion of roads, clean water, primary health care, improved education or everything else that should be considered the true focus of government, yet here we are, cheering for the imposition of even more unsustainable obligations on "states" which were already failing at their most essential duties! And yet some people wonder why they reside in sh*tholes ...

There is in fact a solution to the problem plaguing the vast majority of Nigerian states, but it is not the one most economic illiterates advocate, and certainly not what they'd like to hear: state governors have to start showing some spine by trimming down their bloated workforces, which have grown out of control as successive governors have sought to buy electoral popularity by hiring ever more unqualified people to do almost nothing other than seek bribes if they even bother to show up at all. I bet at least 2/3 of the state employees could be safely let go without affecting any operations whatsoever, and if anything, the money freed up would actually give governors the scope to implement policies which would tangibly improve the lives of the mass of their citizens, instead of just the paychecks of a relative few spongers.

They should channel those bogus contracts amount they steal towards paying minimum wage. Only in Nigeria will you see a substandard road less than a kilometers costing 800 million naira or a wall that will never be built for a certain state hospital costing 3 billion Naira.

As long as Nigerians don't wake up, they will keep being slaves to thier leaders 4ever, Suffering, smiling & defending thier incompetences

This is trash, in fact Mr. Umahi, you have no point at all. Regrettably, it is only in this country that the welfare packages of the poor civil servants are being debated over with the evil aim of throwingit to the waste bin. How much do our senators earn, how much do political office holders, who are not sure of how they got they education qualifications earn, yet the civil servant who go through the four walls of learning, toil hard to come out with good grade and quality technical-know-how on their respective fields can't even boost of good earning. What a pity, what a bad government, what a shithole country.

Mad man!But the states are viable to pay huge remuneration to the chains of the political office holders but not financially healthy to pay stipends due to civil servants.

InvertedHammer:
/
At N18k/month salary, the Kogi State government owed 6 months salaries-in-arrears. Calculate how many months she will owe at the current rate of N30k/month. (20 points)


/

so my state has now become a case study. Yahaya see your life considering the fact that you are very young man in politics

Those govs are scammer, they should be send out of there office, all they do befr election is promise after election promise cancel

They can pay the minimum wage. They just need to first cut out ghost workers and ministries that are seriously overstaffed. Many states have workers that do nothing, don't even go to work but get paid by the end of the month. Kind of some social welfare which should be done properly if that is the purpose.

And of course, let them stop stealing public fund.

Jiang:


They should channel those bogus contracts amount they steal towards paying minimum wage. Only in Nigeria will you see a substandard road less than a kilometers costing 800 million naira or a wall that will never be built for a certain state hospital costing 3 billion Naira.

As long as Nigerians don't wake up, they will keep being slaves to thier leaders 4ever, Suffering, smiling & defending thier incompetences

Yes, yes, corruption is bad, I completely agree, but have you ever bothered to try doing the arithmetic and seeing just how much impact even a 100% elimination of corruption would have? Please, go ahead and try it! Show us how many state government jobs could be saved even if every governor became a saint willing to work for free. If you can make the numbers work so that a 30k minimum wage is sustainable across the 36 states, even as they keep their current staff levels, I will praise your name to the high heavens.

Here is the bottom line: it is mere self-deception to insist that top-level corruption is the only problem, or even the main one. There are simply too many states, given the levels of internal revenues they can raise for themselves, and too many idle "workers" on their payrolls. Nearly all revenue was already being diverted to the payment of salaries to the detriment of everything else, and this wage hike is going to make things far worse. It is now virtually guaranteed that the FG will have to bail out the states yet again in the near future, and that money is not "free"; it will have to be diverted from other important things, like fixing the federal roads, or building the 2nd Niger Bridge.

Stop whining its already the law figure it out. Your options for paying new minimum wage include cutting expenses, raising revenue and cutting workforce. Make a tough decision once in your life.

bjtinz:
Unlike his Kogi State counterpart who was merely playing to the gallery, Umahi is clearly speaking from the heart here and he's one of the few performing govnors I respect.

What he has said is the bitter truth. Apart from Lagos and Rivers, I dont see any other state paying the new min wage.

You’re part of the problem we are having in this country. Bro, let’s be sincere to ourselves no governor I repeat no governor is performing in this country. They are all scam, many gullible people in this country just because they belong to one political party or the other. See I understand budget A to Z and I can tell you that all the state in Nigeria can pay the 30k minimum wages. Most Governors are living beyond their means, imagine a governor from Abia for instance comparing himself to governor in Rivers or Lagos, that’s stupidity. See, Lagos is one of the state with the highest number of workforce yet the total staff is not upto 150 thousand, also remember that it’s like a pyramid the higher the staff reach another milestone the reduction in staff strength in higher level which means that junior staff are more than the senior staff. I swear The turnover revenue in Ebonyi can feed every living soul in the state but corruption will not allow

Riversides2003:
This is a scam, you should have said this before elections.

am sure u didn't read the content of the news. U are only judging him by the headlines. Let's assume Some state receive 80% allocation from FG while some state receive 40%, how do u expect the state that receive 40% to pay the same minimum wage with the state that receive 80%?

hmmmm

bjtinz:
Unlike his Kogi State counterpart who was merely playing to the gallery, Umahi is clearly speaking from the heart here and he's one of the few performing govnors I respect.

What he has said is the bitter truth. Apart from Lagos and Rivers, I dont see any other state paying the new min wage.

Edo State was already paying N25 000 before now and governor Godwin Obaseki has said it before now that he is ready to pay the N30 000 minimum wage.
That's a governor that knows how to govern.
And for those that think they can't pay the minimum wage it is not by force to rule just resign.

Emceesaka:


Very funny my brother. Am a federal Government worker but when I see how dis state workers been treated, I felt a lot pity for them. And I think the best measure to end dis state workers salary issue is that Federal Government should come to their rescue because d Governors are not going to pay them dis #30,000 minimum wage

I feel you but, govt is not all about paying salaries. The workers are less than 5% of labour force what then happens to societal and social goods?

According to Mr Umahi, the payment of the N30, 000 can only be realised if the federation account allocation formula is reviewed to offer more earnings to states.

Lol States can't even imagine gow to function based on their tax base. A country of nesrly 200 million living off a few billion dollars of oil revenue. The allocation sharing formula will only be adjusted but wont go away. Even if individuals had mineral rights tax policy wont change.

Nigeria: personal taxes < mineral tax revenue

God go punish una very soon, una no fit pay 30k but una fit pack millions of dollars for una and una families abi. Thunder fire u umahi or wat is ur name

This man na self-mugu
U must pay that 30k or ur resignation ASAP

Kano, River, Cross River and Kwara have agreed to pay. The remainder cannot be 95% of 36 states.
The governors should buckle up. Since 100% governors can afford to steal states funds, the should find ways to pay, and pay the MUST!

omohayek:

Yes, yes, corruption is bad, I completely agree, but have you ever bothered to try doing the arithmetic and seeing just how much impact even a 100% elimination of corruption would have? Please, go ahead and try it! Show us how many state government jobs could be saved even if every governor became a saint willing to work for free. If you can make the numbers work so that a 30k minimum wage is sustainable across the 36 states, even as they keep their current staff levels, I will praise your name to the high heavens.

Here is the bottom line: it is mere self-deception to insist that top-level corruption is the only problem, or even the main one. There are simply too many states, given the levels of internal revenues they can raise for themselves, and too many idle "workers" on their payrolls. Nearly all revenue was already being diverted to the payment of salaries to the detriment of everything else, and this wage hike is going to make things far worse. It is now virtually guaranteed that the FG will have to bail out the states yet again in the near future, and that money is not "free"; it will have to be diverted from other important things, like fixing the federal roads, or building the 2nd Niger Bridge.

Corruption isn't the only problem. Laziness and ineptitude also plays a part. Why are all the South Eastern states dismally underperforming when it comes to IGR? Not a single South East state generates as much IGR as Edo State. What big industries does Edo State have?

Umahi should stop complaining and aggressively focus on IGR collection.

McSpeedy04:
I believe they can if only they can stop thinking about themselves and their families.

Bro with these people in our political scene bro I doubt it. Average politician in Nigeria are very selfish and greedy.

Let's not forget that the same Gov Umahi gave out N500m of state funds out to Christian leaders in the state to 'empower the word of God'.

Is that what he was elected to do? Does he know how many people's salary that money could have covered?

Let him stop this waste and see if he cannot pay salaries.

Can this Man Just Shut up.

In 2011 Minimum wage was at $122
In 2019 Minimum Wage is $88.

The workers in Nigeria have been shortchanged by poor governance, corrupt leaders and bad economic polices from men like you.

You people should not think that workers are fools.

Osagyefo98:
Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State on Wednesday in Abakaliki, the state capital, declared that 95 per cent of states in the country cannot pay the proposed N30, 000 minimum wage to workers.

Mr Umahi, who is the Chairman of the South East Governors Forum, said this while inaugurating a 36-member fact-finding committee to ascertain the mode of workers’ promotion arrears payment in states across the six geo-political zones of the states.

According to Mr Umahi, the payment of the N30, 000 can only be realised if the federation account allocation formula is reviewed to offer more earnings to states.

“The federal government collects 52 per cent of the revenue from the federation account and when I tried to put the N30,000 figure to Local Government Areas (LGA) it means they will borrow N1billion to add to their allocation, in paying salaries.

“I will definitely not be a governor to govern such a state and will never preside over a state that will allocate 100 per cent of its earnings to pay salaries,” he said.

The governor recommended that the issue of petroleum subsidy in the country should also be reviewed as had been noted by the state and federal governments.

“We must presently have the courage to say this because a lot of money can be saved from the subsidy if properly distributed.

“When 100, 000 litres of petrol is allocated to me for instance and deducted from my allocation, it is then my business to ensure that there is no leakage.

“There is no governor or political office holder that signs cheques but civil servants as the country’s leaders and labour are just putting water inside a basket and praying God to hold it with this minimum wage issue,” he said.

He urged the country’s leaders and labour to liaise and decide on the percentage of the federation account that should be voted for salaries and other sectors.

“We should determine how much should be allocated to education, health, infrastructure among others if 100 per cent of earnings are used to pay workers salaries.

“Many states are experiencing various problems and cannot pay salaries but the people condemn their governments over their inability to provide good roads and other amenities.

“People don’t understand the problems being experienced by these states and the governors have kept quiet for long and need to speak presently,” he said.

Mr Umahi regretted that the issue of promotion arrears for workers in the state had lingered for long and urged the committee to be sincere with their findings to find an amicable solution to it.

“We have been setting up committees on this issue and getting no results with people not being sincere and resorting to all sorts of things,” he said.

Hyginus Nwokwu, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), noted that the issue made the governor to institute a 36-man member committee to tour states in the six geo political zones and ascertain the mode of payments.

“The members are drawn from critical elements of state with the organised labour having 12 nominees, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) 12 nominees and the government-12 nominees.

“The committee will tour three states in each of these zones, ascertain relevant facts, analyse and present them to enable government take disposable and final actions on the matter,” he said.

Leonard Nkah, the Acting Chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), in the state and Chairman of the committee pledged to ensure the actualisation of the committee’s aims.

“We pledge to assiduously discharge our duties and make recommendations that will permanently solve the problem for a healthy government and labour relationship,” he said.

(NAN)

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/294656-95-per-cent-of-states-cant-pay-n30-000-minimum-wage-ebonyi-gov.html#

POLITICAL LEADERS FROM MOST OF THIS STATES WHERE THE ONES URGING THE MILITARY ADMINISTRATION OF GENERAL BABANGIDA ( RTD ) AND LATE GENERAL SANI ABACHA TO CREATE STATES SO THAT THEY CAN GROW FASTER IN DEVELOPMENT.

BUT TODAY THE REALITY IS THE CASE.

CORRUPTION AND MISMANAGEMENT OF RESOURCES HAVE PUT MOST OF THESE STATES IN FINANCIAL MISERY.

I personally think Nigeria should embrace RESTRUCTURING. Most of the poor states should be merged to their rich sister states into a regional structure.

Crude oil money that use to cover most of the secrets of these MUSHROOM states is getting reduced.

THE REST PART OF NIGERIA IS WAITING UPON NORTHERN NIGERIA TO EMBRACE RESTRUCTURING TO SAVE NIGERIA FROM TOTAL COLLAPSE.

omohayek:

Yes, yes, corruption is bad, I completely agree, but have you ever bothered to try doing the arithmetic and seeing just how much impact even a 100% elimination of corruption would have? Please, go ahead and try it! Show us how many state government jobs could be saved even if every governor became a saint willing to work for free. If you can make the numbers work so that a 30k minimum wage is sustainable across the 36 states, even as they keep their current staff levels, I will praise your name to the high heavens.

Here is the bottom line: it is mere self-deception to insist that top-level corruption is the only problem, or even the main one. There are simply too many states, given the levels of internal revenues they can raise for themselves, and too many idle "workers" on their payrolls. Nearly all revenue was already being diverted to the payment of salaries to the detriment of everything else, and this wage hike is going to make things far worse. It is now virtually guaranteed that the FG will have to bail out the states yet again in the near future, and that money is not "free"; it will have to be diverted from other important things, like fixing the federal roads, or building the 2nd Niger Bridge.

Exactly!! too many useless states, idle workers & large amount of ghost workers, one oga for state civil service is collecting salary for over 20 imaginary workers, democracy is seriously a waste of money & resources. Nigeria needs to reform her system of government

Riversides2003:
This is a scam, you should have said this before elections.

He has.
Pls focus ur blames on apc

InvertedHammer:
/
At N18k/month salary, the Kogi State government owed 6 months salaries-in-arrears. Calculate how many months she will owe at the current rate of N30k/month. (20 points)


/

Do we have an economic team in this country? Even though we have been in an emergency situation since 2015 yet no economic team to look into and resolve this Myriad of issues befalling us all arround. Which are mostly economic related.

We play politics with very serious issues and expect progress is wonderful.

The problem is that states rely on FG for revenue, and the FG is stuck on income generated from oil,
Still i believe all this is intentional.
Same reason we don't have working refineries, stable electricity, good roads,
There is always a budget for workers salaries and the suddenly the money disappears, even bail out money goes down the drain, the truth is that like EVERY politician, governors know there won't be consequences.

And of course there are economists like you that went to underfunded govt schools that thinks 30k is too much.

All those 'constituency projects' by senators needs to be scrapped. That is the job of LG chairman. But 100% of Nigerians doesn't understand governance

omohayek:

Yes, yes, corruption is bad, I completely agree, but have you ever bothered to try doing the arithmetic and seeing just how much impact even a 100% elimination of corruption would have? Please, go ahead and try it! Show us how many state government jobs could be saved even if every governor became a saint willing to work for free. If you can make the numbers work so that a 30k minimum wage is sustainable across the 36 states, even as they keep their current staff levels, I will praise your name to the high heavens.

Here is the bottom line: it is mere self-deception to insist that top-level corruption is the only problem, or even the main one. There are simply too many states, given the levels of internal revenues they can raise for themselves, and too many idle "workers" on their payrolls. Nearly all revenue was already being diverted to the payment of salaries to the detriment of everything else, and this wage hike is going to make things far worse. It is now virtually guaranteed that the FG will have to bail out the states yet again in the near future, and that money is not "free"; it will have to be diverted from other important things, like fixing the federal roads, or building the 2nd Niger Bridge.

they can cut down the running costs of governance...greedy politicians..

I foresee pressure on FG to devalue the naira very soon, as that is their only easy way out.
As Nigeria income is mainly from crude oil the government will have to devalue in order to generate more naira from the same amount of USD income.
Many people do not know that many of the harsh monetary policy of FG are as a result of promptings from lazy state Governors

We already know dia plan,if dey increase the minimum wage petrol wil also increase,..sai baba

texazzpete:
Let's not forget that the same Gov Umahi gave out N500m of state funds out to Christian leaders in the state to 'empower the word of God'.

Is that what he was elected to do? Does he know how many people's salary that money could have covered?

Let him stop this waste and see if he cannot pay salaries.

How many and for how many months? Salaries is a recurrent expenditure and all the rants by many don't address the deep issues of salaries. The states are at present largely going to be unable to pay.