The organized labour has insisted that it will reject any proposal of N62,000 or N100,0000 as a ‘starvation wage’ for Nigerian workers.
Metrobusinessnews.com (MBN) reports that the latest demand of N250,000 living wage for an average Nigerian worker was reiterated at the last meeting of the tripartite Committee on minimum wage.
Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Assistant Secretary,Chris Onyeka reiterated the Organization’s stance, adding, “Our position is very clear “ during his appearance on Channels Television’s ‘Morning Brief’ program on Monday.
Onyeka insisted that the one-week grace given to the federal government ends by mid night of Tuesday, adding that the relevant organs of the Congress would meet to decide on the next line of action, which is the resumption of the strike action.
Also Benson Upah, head of information department of NLC said that any serious Governor who sets his priorities right should be able to pay the N250,000 proposed by the Congress, adding that it amounts to disservice and lack of empathy on their part and claiming that thy cannot pay even the N60,000.
Upah, who appeared on Arise Television’s ‘The Morning Show’, program berated governors who, he said, have been enjoying security votes and living extravagant lifestyle coming up with such claim, insisting that what they need to do is cut down cost of governance and be focused as well as setting their priorities right.
But, Muda Yusuf, chief executive of Centre for Private for the Promotion of Private Enterprise (CPPE) advised the federal government to be open and transparent in handling some issues so as to engender confidence both in it and decisions taken. Yusuf, who appeared on Arise Television’s ‘Thisdaylife’ bemoaned the pervasive corruption in the public service which he said has assumed an ‘entitlement’ posture, even in the midst of dwindling government revenue, particularly due to subsidy issue.
Yusuf said there is need for conversation around the cost of governance, corruption and redundancy of staff, adding that not until some of these issues are discussed, people would continue to doubt actions and pronouncements of government officials.
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Advising that something around N70, 000 should be reasonable in view of the present economic realities, the chief executive of CPPE, said there s need for effective fiscal policy measures to complement Central Bank’s monetary policy measures in ensuring that the current hardships, necessitating these agitations are reduced. Specifically, he advised government to come out with measures that would reduce cost of doing business, availability of credit facilities, insecurity, among others. He also advised government to reduce the present confusion as well as discordant tunes among government officials, reiterating the need to tidy up the apparatus of communication. He cited the current confusion on the subsidy payment. According to him, it is obvious that government might be paying subsidy with the consequences of the initial withdrawal of the payment.
“We expect a more tidier communication from government on the subsidy issue. It is normal for government to come up with an exposure draft on the issue for stakeholder input rather than coming out with a document and denying same, regarding it as a draft. It is expected that government must have been paying subsidy on petrol with the aftermath of the subsidy removal resulting in devaluation of the naira, high inflation as well as rise in the prices of oil at the international market. For pump price to remain same means somebody must be offsetting the cost. There is need for government to be honest and transparent with the people on the issue.”
Speaking further, he said the “issue of productivity cannot be solved without real investments in education as well as infrastructure. Producing now in the economy has become nightmares for manufacturers as the environment is not conducive for it as at the moment and this is where the government should step in to provide some of the needed infrastructure.”
