Dare Glintstone Akinniyi, the spokesperson for the PDP National Youth Group, has highlighted four requests organised labour should have made to the Nigerian government led by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Akinniyi said labour’s demand of N494,000 as the new minimum wage is not feasible considering the current economic realities.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶
Recall that Joe Ajaero’s led Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and its Trade Union Congress (TUC) proposed N494,000 as the minimum wage from Tinubu’s government.
However, President Tinubu’s rejected the proposal and offered to pay a wage higher than N60,000. Interestingly, labour, in its response, slashed their demand and requested N250,000 from Tinubu’s government.
At the moment, the federal government has offered to pay N62,000 as minimum wage but the Nigerian governors disagreed with Tinubu’s latest offer to labour and maintained they cannot even pay N60,000.
Minimum wage: Labour should table 4 requests
In an interview with Legit via telephone chat on Sunday, June 9, Akinniyi urged labour to be realistic with their demands.
Buttressing his point, the PDP chieftain urged labour to demand the return of fuel and electricity subsidies.
Akinniyi highlighted four requests labour should demand instead of a minimum wage increment:
“Is labour right for demanding 494,000 as minimum wage?
“The case is not a ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ situation – it is whether it’s feasible. No. We can’t afford such a minimum wage. I was expecting these requests from NLC/TUC to start with:
1. Ask Government for the prices of PMS to be brought back to 60-80/litre
2. Ask Government that there be subsidies on Education.
3. Minimum wages are increased to #60,000 -100,000.
4. Electricity Tariff back to the last charge.
Minimum wage: N30,000 can’t sustain any worker, PDP chief says
Meanwhile, organsed labour has maintained its stance on the N250,000 minimum wage demand, but Dare Glintstone Akinniyi insisted that certain factors needed to be considered while demanding an implementation of a new minimum wage.
The PDP chieftain noted that the federal government needs to consult with the organised private sector before arriving at a particular minimum wage offer.
Speaking further, he urged the TUC and the NLC to accept the N62,000 offer from the federal government, adding, indeed “N30,000 as the minimum wage can’t sustain any worker”
“Truly, N30,000 as the minimum wage can’t sustain any worker. However, there are many factors to be considered before the implementation of a new wage, the Private Sector must key into this too – that is the crux of the matter.
“Now that we have a proposal of N62,000 from the government, then we should genuinely take that in the interim and press for other things.
“Nigeria can do better in terms of revenue generation, national priorities and the general welfare of the citizenry – we have the resources. Our Governments are just bereft of ideas to drive a productive economy and make our Country competitive for FDIs. The ineptitude of the APC government is out of the roof, and we might be heading to our worst times – if things continue this way.”
NLC’s N250k demand would weaken current economy
Considering the current economic crisis in Nigeria, the PDP chieftain urged labour to reconsider its N250,000 minimum wage proposal.
Dare Glintstone Akinniyi maintaied that Nigeria is poor following the 2024 budget, hence Bola Tinubu’s government cannot meet the outrageous demands of the labour. The PDP chieftain thereby urged labour to accept the N62,000 minimum wage offer.
Akinniyi stated thus:
“Firstly, our budget can’t carry such and the economy is too weak to substantially cater for this outrageous demand of almost a half a million Naira as minimum wage. However, the minimum wage in Nigeria is based on monthly income with an average working period of 8 hours daily and 5 days weekly. What about those in the informal sector? I think these agitations should include a demand for better infrastructures and economy to help reduce the burdens on citizens and business owners.
“Sometimes, I wonder if we know that we are poor as a country going by our annual budget – what we earn and spend as against where we expect the money to come from. The University of California’s Budget currently is $51.4 billion. The 2024 Budget of ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’ as proposed by President Tinubu outlines a total expenditure of N27. 5 trillion (equivalent to $36.7 billion), with a projected revenue of N18. 32 trillion ($24.4 billion) and a deficit of N9. 18 trillion ($12.2 billion) for the whole of Nigeria.”
Labour reacts as governors say they cannot pay N60,000
Legit reported earlier that organised labour has warned that paying “a miserable national minimum wage” portends grave danger to the nation’s workforce.
Labour also stated that paying an unreasonable minimum wage to Nigerian workers will affect the Nigerian economy.
Legit reports that the organised labour described the stance of the state governors that they cannot pay N60,000 or N62,000 as minimum wage as insensitive, wicked and selfish.
