Shehu Sani, a former senator representing Kaduna central, says the federal government has the resources to pay N615,000 as the minimum wage to workers.
Speaking during an interview with Arise Television on
Thursday, Sani said the government should consider the position taken by
organised labour on the minimum wage.
The former lawmaker urged the federal government to address
the long-standing issue of the minimum wage to prevent impending strikes.
“I don’t know how a Nigerian can survive with less than
N100,000. If you break down what the government is offering—N45,000–N48,000,
you will see how unrealistic it is by the time you factor in many things,” he
said.
“The position taken by labour should be considered by the
government.
“It is one thing agreeing to increase the minimum wage and
then the capacity to pay. Let us not forget that in the last few years, the
government has been finding it difficult to even pay the one that is already on
paper. So how this could be reflected should be considered.
“But from what we have learnt since the withdrawal of
subsidy, the government has more money and there is no better way to effectively
and productively spend it than to increase the minimum wage of the Nigerian
worker to a reasonable point where he can adequately take care of his family.
“Economic reforms are taking place in this country there are
consequences for the reforms. They are supposed to be sacrifices, but it should
be across the board.
“Workers are seeing that money is coming in trillions; they
want their own share. When a nation subsidises, it makes more value for wages,
but when they are removed, you have to pay for it.”
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress
(TUC) had repeatedly proposed N615,500 as the minimum wage that the federal
government should pay Nigerian workers, citing the high cost of living.
On May 15, leaders of organised labour staged a walk-out
during a meeting called by the federal government to discuss the national
minimum wage for workers.
Ajaero, president of the NLC, said the government has until
the end of the month to arrive at a decision.
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Am advised civil savant to stand on their feet and hustle and forget about so call government, because nothing much will come out of them..
ReplyDeletePoliticians, feels any thing good in Nigeria should be given to them only. No bureaucracy about their own. Imagine, politicians are paid well, they still get free medicals, clothing allow, car maintenance etc. while civil servants take care of them selves with the little given to them.
ReplyDeleteThereby, always living in poverty and debts