Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has called for the review of the Federation Account Revenue sharing formula as well as the moving of solid minerals from exclusive to concurrent legislative list.
He made the advocacy in Lagos yesterday while attending the South West zonal public hearing on the new national minimum wage. Governor Adeleke represents the South West at the National Tripartite Minimum wage committee.
Addressing labour leaders and other delegates at the public hearing, he said there was consensus on the need to increase the minimum wage but noted that a review of the revenue sharing formula and amendment of legislative list were necessary to boost the capacity of the states to pay the new minimum wage.
“In all our meetings and various deliberations, one thing that the committee has been able to establish is that the workers in Nigeria are due for an improved welfare package. There is a consensus for an upward review of the National Minimum Wage because the existing one has become unrealistic.
“In tandem with the public outcry for the review of the sharing formula for the federation account, the time has come for the federal government to revisit the matter. There is an urgent need for the review of existing sharing formulas in favor of states and local governments.
“I call on the National Assembly through the Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) to urgently take decisive action to look at the ratio objectively and realistically.”
Frontline labour leader and the Director General of Michael Imodu Labour Institute, Comrade Mike Aremu, however, applauded the pro-labour and pro-worker policies of Adeleke, affirming that the Osun governor deserved a labour fellowship award.
Speaking at the public hearing, Aremu said both the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu and Adeleke were penciled down for the labour fellowship of Michael Imoudu Institute for being labour-friendly.
The Minister of Finance and the Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Wale Edun was the Chairman of the zonal public hearing.
