Subsidy Removal: Nigerian Workers Deserve Better Pay – Speaker Abbas

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas has made a case for better wages and remuneration for Nigerian workers.

The Speaker made the appeal in light of the recent removal of fuel subsidy and the attendant increase in the price of petrol as well as other commodities in the country.

According to Abbas in a statement on Monday by Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Musa Abdullahi Krishi, the current salary package does not reflect current economic realities.

He, therefore, called for an upward review of wages that will guarantee a fair living conditions and the ability of workers to meet their responsibilities.

Citing an example of UK, he said: “Today, if you are a labourer in London, you will be paid enough for you to go and pay your rent, take care of your basics and still be able to have a fairly good living.

“With that kind of incentive, you don’t need to go and borrow, you don’t need to go and beg, you don’t need to go and steal.”

The Speaker rightly observed that what an average worker earns currently is less than what somebody could use to buy fuel to fill his car tank and that situation does not encourage the fight against corruption.

“For us to wage a war on corruption, we need to create an enabling environment where each and every one of us will be able to operate transparently.

This, according to him, is without having to steal, intimidate and having to go and beg or borrow and that is the beginning of the reform.

“If we can get the rule of law working, we will be able to work on the reforms necessary for fighting corruption.

“In fighting corruption, we also need to create an enabling environment where an average worker should be able to earn enough to live with his family,” he said. (NAN)