. Insist on monthly living wage of N615,000
By Stanley Onyeka, Lagos and Tochukwu Bliss, Abuja
Nigerian workers today described their condition as hopeless, and life miserable for Nigerians under President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), in separate statements lamented the economic hardship workers and other Nigerians are grappling with due to high inflation, foreign exchange crisis, food inflation and energy crisis.
The statements signed by the Head, Information and Public Affairs, NLC, Benson Upah, and TUC President Festus Osifo, maintained that life has worsened considerably under Tinubu’s government, calling for a re-jig of some of his policies for a better life for Nigerian workers.
This comes even as the NLC President, Joe Ajaero, insist on N615,000 monthly as a living wage for workers to cushion current economic hardships.
Specifically, NLC’s Upah said: “Life has worsened considerably. In fact, the most painful aspect of it is that there is no silver lining in the sky yet. When workers were trying to get used to this ugly situation, the government slammed them with a new energy tariff of 250%, and on the other side, for the workers, nothing has changed.
“So, life has been very terrible for workers in the past year. We wish it could be better.
“To go to specifics: the ill-advised removal of fuel subsidy, the floating of the Naira, and the hike in the tariff of electricity; these three major policies have considerably reduced the value of the Naira.
“Inflation at the moment is 33.2%, and food inflation is a minimum of 40%. The devaluation of the Naira. After these policy announcements. The value of the Naira decreased by about 200%, and after a while, Nigerians started hoping that the Naira would regain its strength and stability. There were other storms.
“We suspect that these policies are dictated from outside this country, and they are not good for the health of this country or for the people of this country, and we advise Mr President to retrace his steps.
“Our message is that workers should not be broken; they should remain strong and be guided by the philosophy of the bedbug that this hot water that they are pouring on us will one day grow cold,” the NLC said.
Prioritise workers’ welfare
TUC’s Osifo on his part called on the federal and state governments to prioritise workers’ welfare.
Mr. Osifo, at the Pre-May Day Lecture held in Abuja, described the theme of the 2024 May Day celebration – “Workers First”, as very significant because there is a need to put the people first and to put the workers first in every government policy.
Represented by the Deputy President of TUC, Comrade Eitm Okon, he said: “Today marks another turning point in the history of the trade union movement in this country.
“When we look at the theme of 2024, which is ‘People First’, that is very significant because we need to put the people first, we need to put the workers first, and when you put the people first, you put your family first. This is what is called the first line charge.
“Today, we have experienced various policy mismatches and summersaults where people’s welfare is put at the bottom of the radar.
“A case in point was the increase in electricity tariff without following due process and without consultation with various stakeholders who would have been involved in taking critical decisions that affect the lives of workers.”
Life has worsened considerably. In fact, the most painful aspect of it is that there is no silver lining in the sky yet.
Living wage for workers
Meanwhile, Mr. Ajaero described the 35% pay rise announced by the federal government yesterday for civil servants as mischievous, saying the living wage should be N615,000.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television earlier today, Mr. Ajaero noted that the last minimum wage of N30,000 expired on April 18.
He said: “We should be in the regime of a new minimum wage as of today. Discussions were supposed to have been concluded.
“The federal government through the National Assembly legislated on it. But we saw that the discussion entered voicemail because the federal government refused to reconvene the meeting that was adjourned.
“I think the announcement now appears mischievous because there is no wage increase that the government is announcing. For them to announce it now, it is an issue that we are worried about at the NLC and even at the TUC.”
On the N615,000, he said: “Living wage is such that it will, at least keep you alive. It is not a wage that will make you poor and poorer. It is not a wage that will make you borrow to go to work. It is not a wage that will lead you to be in the hospital every day because of malnutrition. For that living wage, we have tried to look at N615,000.
“Let me give you a breakdown of how we arrived at that figure. We have housing and accommodation of N40,000. We asked for electricity of N20,000 — of course that was before the current tariff increase. Nobody can spend this amount currently. We have a utility that is about N10,000. We looked at kerosene and gas that is about N25,000 to N35,000.
“We looked at food for a family of six, that is about N9,000 in a day. For 30 days, that is about N270,000. Look at medical, N50,000 provided there will be no surgery or whatever.
“For clothing, we looked at N20,000. For education, N50,000. I don’t know for those who tried to put their children in private school, they will not be able to cope with this amount. We also have sanitation of N10,000.
“I think where we have another bulk of the money is transportation. This is because the workers stay in the fringes and because of the cost of PMS, that amounted to N110,000.
“That brought the whole living wage to N615,000 and I want anyone to subject this to further investigation and find out whether there will be any savings when you pay somebody on this rate.”
