The National Economic Council(NEC) has commended President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice President Yemi Osinbajo over Nigeria’s improvement in the latest World Bank ranking on Ease of Doing Business.
Gov. Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State made this known while briefing State House correspondents after the NEC meeting, presided over by Osinbajo on Tuesday at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
He said that the council also applauded the Presidential Enabling Business Environment Council (PEBEC), the Minister of Trade and Investment and others who contributed towards achieving the feat.
“During the deliberations on matters arising, the governors commended PEBEC for the recent improving of the ranking of Nigeria in the World Bank Ease of Doing Business ranking 2020.
“Members of the council congratulated the President, the Minister, members of the PEBEC team, the Vice president for this reforms and vigorous improvements that we have had so far.’’
Nigeria now ranks 131 on the World Bank’s Doing Business 2020 index, released Wednesday.
It moved up 15 places from its 2019 spot and has been rated as one of the most improved economies in the world in the ease of doing business.
On governors’ stance on minimum wage, Sule said that the Nigeria Governors Forum discussed it on Monday when it was presented by the chairman of the forum.
He said that the issue N30, 000 minimum wage was a law which all the state governors were willing to abide by.
The governor said however that the various states would go back and sit down with the labour unions and agree on increment after the N30, 000.
“So, the law is on the increment to N30, 000 and I think none of the governors is contesting the N30, 000 but it is thereafter that the governors are saying we are going to sit down; we are not going to abide by the template set by the Federal Government.
“ Even the Minister of Labour has clearly stated that we are not under any direct instruction to follow.’’
He said also that the governor of Kaduna State presented a report on the ad hoc committee to the council.
Sule said that the committee was asked to review and reconcile the account between the states, local governments, and the Federal Government to see who owed who.
“It was decided that the report would be submitted to the Federal Government for response and then NEC will discuss the report thereafter,’’ he said
