Workers group asks FG to set minimum wage at N200k

The Workers’ Alliance for Inclusive Socio-economic Reforms (WAISER) has called on the federal government to set a new minimum wage of N200,000 monthly. 

In a statement on Tuesday, Amodu Isiaka, the group’s national coordinator, said the move would cushion the effects of the recent petrol subsidy removal on Nigerians.

During his inaugural speech on May 29, Tinubu declared that “petrol subsidy is gone”.

The president’s pronouncement led to a resurfacing of queues at petrol stations and a hike in the pump price of the product across the country.

The policy has generated mixed reactions from Nigerians.

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) are currently in talks with the federal government over mitigating the impact.

Adding its voice to the debate, WAISER said the national minimum wage of N30,000 has become unsustainable and should be reviewed to “about 500%”.

The group also proposed that the government should dedicate two days a week to e-governance to ease the effect on workers and improve productivity.

“There should be an immediate upward review of wages for workers,” the statement reads.

“The minimum wage of 30,000 naira is no longer tenable. We are proposing 200,000 naira per month (about 500% increase).

“Kwara, Edo and some other states have embraced the declaration of two days as work-free days. Benue has experimented with work-free days for farming. Kaduna state also has a work-free day policy.

“This will automatically reduce work-related expenditure by as much as 40%.

“The federal government has an existing initiative on e-governance through National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and Security Exchange Commission (SEC).

“This was designed to, among others, support the development of government e-services for responsive, efficient, effective and equitable delivery of public service to all people in strategic sectors of the economy.”