The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike has said that he is willing to pay workers in the state N30,000 as minimum wage if the Federal Govenment (FG) also agrees to pay the amount.
The governor made this known while laying the foundation of the Ultra Modern Secretariat for the Rivers State chapter of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) on Saturday.
Speaking at the event, Wike also said Organised Labour must realise that they are a part and parcel of the building process in the country and should therefore understand that all government revenue cannot be used to pay wages.
In his words;
“We make promises and we fulfil them. The only one left which you are contending with at the national level is the minimum wage. If you people agree, we will pay, but I’m not one of those who made that promise.
The party that made the promise should solve the problem. I’m not here to solve anybody’s problem. (But) if you people agree we will do it. But I will not come and begin to stay in a meeting for 15 hours… that, I will not do but I’m in support. It’s just that your demands are so many. Today it is secretariat, the next day it is increment, the next it is pensions.”