Minimum wage: NNPP chieftain expresses displeasure over proposed N48,000
..Says FG should consider current inflation trends
By Stephen Gbadamosi
A chieftain of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Ambassador Olufemi Ajadi, has expressed displeasure over the proposed N48,000 minimum wage by the Federal Government, urging it to consider the current inflationary trend in the country in fixing the minimum wage for workers.
Ajadi said the N48,000 proposed by the Federal Government as minimum wage was unrealistic, considering the current prices of foods and other commodities in the country.
Recall that the labour leaders walked out of the minimum wage negotiation meeting on Wednesday when the government proposed N48,000 minimum wage and the Organised Private Sector (OPS) proposed N54,000 monthly minimum wage.
Also recall that Ajadi had earlier proposed a minimum wage of N200,000.
The NNPP chief, in an interview on Thursday, said he followed with keen interest the meeting on negotiation of new minimum wages between the government and the labour and insisted that the government did not consider the current reality in arriving at N48,000.
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“The proposed N48,000 minimum wage is unrealistic in present-day Nigeria where petrol is sold for above N700 per litre in most filling stations. It is only the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) filling stations that sell at N580 per litre.
“When we look at the prices of commodities, especially foodstuffs, in the markets, it will be unrealistic for an average worker to eat, let alone send their children to school with N48,000 monthly.
“I agree that there are so many dead woods in the civil service, people who come to work but are doing nothing. May be the government should consider the idea of paying workers per working hours, so that those who are working genuinely would be adequately rewarded.
“I plead with the Federal Government to consider the survival of Nigerian workers and jack up the wage. Even states like Edo, on its own, has increased the minimum wage to N70,000.
“I agree with the decision of the labour to reject the N48,000, but rather than walking out of the negotiation meeting, the labour can reject the government proposal; it should continue the negotiation.
“If labour agrees on anything less than N200,000, then, it is unrealistic too. I want them to state and explain to the government delegation why no worker can survive on N48,000 minimum wage,” Ajadi said.
