Minimum wage: Approve N250,000 demand to match inflationary trend, Labour tells Tinubu
In a significant push for workers’ rights, Organized Labour has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to approve a N250,000 minimum wage to address the soaring inflation in Nigeria. Prince Adewale Adeyanju, a key figure in the Tripartite Committee of the New National Minimum Wage and President-General of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria (MWUN), has been vocal about the obstacles posed by state governors in achieving fair wages for public workers.
Adeyanju criticized the reluctance of state governors and the Organised Private Sector (OPS) to meet Labour’s demands, highlighting their gradual concession from N30,000 to N62,000 during negotiations. He emphasized that despite the harsh economic conditions, Labour has been willing to compromise to ensure workers receive a fair wage.
The final negotiations resulted in two recommendations: N62,000 from the government and OPS, and N250,000 from Labour, including the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC). Adeyanju urged President Tinubu to seize this opportunity to fulfill his promise of providing a living wage to Nigerian workers.
“The economic challenges are severe, and workers are struggling. This minimum wage review, occurring every five years, is crucial for the well-being of workers. We appeal to President Tinubu to show empathy and approve the N250,000 minimum wage,” Adeyanju said.
Organised Labour believes that the Nigerian economy can support this demand and cautions against listening to governors who advocate for minimal wages while enjoying luxurious lifestyles. Adeyanju pointed out that the security votes allocated to governors could easily cover the increased wages, citing examples of states like Edo where higher wages are already being paid.
As the nation awaits President Tinubu’s decision, the call for a N250,000 minimum wage represents a crucial step in addressing the economic hardships faced by Nigerian workers and ensuring a fair and sustainable livelihood for all.
” That is why we are appealing to him as a friend of workers who persistently promised to give workers a living wage to approve the N250, 000. “Nothing stops him from approving it, but we heard that he said he would only approve what is what the economy can afford.
” As organized labour, we all are citizens of this country, and we know the economy can afford our demand. We plead that he should not listen to those greedy governors who want to pay slave wage to continue to maintain their outrageous and ostentatious lifestyle.
”The security vote that they are getting is enough to pay that minimum wage. What are they doing with their security votes? Which security are they providing to the citizens? Some of the governors, the likes of Edo State, have been paying 70,000.”