The Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, has
reiterated his call for the implementation of N50, 000 minimum wage for
Nigerian workers.
Ekweremadu stated this in his goodwill message to workers on
May Day.
He said the current N18, 000 minimum wage was no longer
realistic, given the hyperinflation in the country, which he said had made it
difficult for overwhelming majority of Nigerian workers to afford the basic
needs of life.
He said: “I felicitate with our workers who toil day and
night to move the nation forward. But we must collectively show the workers
that we care beyond lip service. Importantly, it is high time we raised the
minimum wage from N18, 000 to N50, 000. It does not make sense to preach
anti-corruption alone without giving people the opportunity to earn honest and
meaningful living.
“The truth is that, the take-home pay can no longer take the
workers home. Where it does, it cannot keep their homes happy, because they can
hardly afford a bag of rice, let alone pay school fees, and foot other basic
bills”, Ekweremadu said.
He added that, the nation could afford N50, 000 minimum wage
through proper management of the economy and prudent expenditure by all levels
of government.
Ekweremadu wished the workers a happy May Day.
By Yemi Itodo
