30, 000 Minimum Wage: Workers In Enugu State Makes New Call

Some workers in Enugu State have called on the Federal Government to reduce security votes and the cost of governance of political office holders accommodate the new minimum wage.

The workers stated this while reacting to the inability of some state governments to pay the #18, 000 minimum wage.

Some of the workers who spoke with NAN stated that if some state governors reduce their unnecessary spending the payment of workers salary would be easy.

A legal practitioner, Nkechi Afadigwe called on President Muhammadu Buhari to assent to the new national minimum wage so as to ease the sufferings of workers.

“Different organs of government should reduce their cost of running government businesses to accommodate the minimum wage.”

“The money spent on esta-codes as a result of foreign trips should be enough to pay the minimum wage.”

“Different organs of government should strengthen their revenue base to supplement the money allocated to them by the federation account to accommodate the wage,” Afadigwe said.

A civil servant who also spoke, Joseph Ibe stated that the new minimum wage has been a battle between FG and the Nigeria Labour Congress, however, he believed that NLC was right.

“Ordinarily, in the spirit of rule of law, the minimum wage supposed to have taken place long ago. If they can slash political office holder’s expenditure, they can save money and pay the new wage.”

“Minimum wage will encourage workers to put in their best in their various offices.”

“The wage increment will place Nigeria on top among the comity of nation in regards to attainment of Sustainable Development Goals (SDG),” Ibe said.

Mrs Agatha Ogbaji called on FG not to increase the tax stating that if that happens inflation would be increased in the country.

“There must be improved productivity on the part of workers to justify the money they were fighting for,” Ogbaji said.