Katsina state Governor, Dikko Radda has justified recent U.S visit by Northern states Governors, insisting it was meant to find solutions to insecurity in the region.
He made the clarification during an interview on a national television on Friday.
Radda explained that the northern governors were invited to the meeting by the United States Institute of Peace so as to bring about lasting solutions to the problems affecting the people.
He said “10 Governors were in the United States, Washington DC and we had a symposium with the United States Institute of Peace so that we can bring about ideas that will end insecurity that is worrying our people as a major problem to the sub-nationals and they carefully chose the governors of the places affected by banditry and kidnapping.
“All of us sat for three days and we were able to cross-fertilise ideas and interact with all stakeholders that are involved in bringing about lasting peace and security globally,” the governor said.
Governor Radda, also argued that states should be allowed to determine their minimum wage, based on a minimum standard set by the Federal Government, noting that challenges and revenues generated differed between states.
It would be recalled that the labour unions, the Nigerian Labour Congress, and the Trade Union Congress had last month, submitted a proposal of N615,000 minimum wage to the tripartite committee set up by the FG.
While the government did not announce an increment in minimum wage during the Workers’ Day celebration held on Wednesday, the FG announced a 25 and 35 per cent wage award for workers, which the NLC President, Joe Ajaero described as “mischievous.
Dikko however said sub-nationals should be allowed to come up with their standards for increments in the minimum wage, which the various states would be able to afford.
He declared” So, I think on the issue of the minimum wage, we agree that the Federal government can have a minimum standard of the minimum wage, but sub-nationals should be allowed to come up with a reasonable standard within which their economy can be able to afford.