Minimum wage: Strong APC chief tells Tinubu what to pay Nigerian workers amid hardship

• An APC chieftain has expressed concern over the current hardship in Nigeria occasioned by the economic policies of the Tinubu-led government
• Speaking exclusively with Legit.ng on the new minimum wage dispute, APC chieftain, ESV Podar Johnson, called for a fair salary structure for Nigerian workers
• He urged President Tinubu to consider the country's market realities before proposing a new minimum wage offer to the NLC and the TUC

Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.

ESV Podar Johnson, a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), has advised President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to offer fair salaries to Nigerian workers amid negotiation with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on the new minimum wage.

President Bola Tinubu and the organised labour. Photo credit: Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Nigeria Labour Congress HQ
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Minimum wage: APC chieftain speaks on Tinubu's new offer

Johnson made this plea on Wednesday, June 20, and urged the federal government to consider the current economic realities before its final decision on the national minimum wage.

Recall that President Tinubu recently announced that the new minimum wage would be sent to the National Assembly for deliberation.

Although, Tinubu did not announce a new minimum wage, but the tripartite committee, comprising the federal government's team, offered to pay Nigerian workers N62,000. However, organised labour (the NLC and the Trade Union Congress, TUC) rejected the offer and proposed N250,000.

What Tinubu should offer as minimum wage

In an exclusive interview with Legit.ng on Wednesday, ESV Podar Johnson appealed to the government led by Tinubu to approve fair wages that would not subject Nigerians to untold hardship.

The APC chieftain stated thus:

"My advice to Mr President is that he should be fair in considering the salary structure because it will be the determining factor in the market the majority of the population is either in the private sector or jobless, and we all go to the same market, and the labour unions should know that more than 65% of Nigerian are either farmers, private or jobless and we live in the same environment with the challenges. "My advice is fair wages that will not subject citizens to untold hardship. The present skyrocketed prices have created hardship cuts across all sectors."

Kebbi governor speaks on N62,000 minimum wage demand

Legit.ng reported previously that Governor Nasir Idris of Kebbi state detached himself from the 36 state governors who disclosed that they could not afford N62,000 minimum wage even if the federal government and Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) agreed on the figure.

Idris, in an interview with the BBC, said that he was not aware of the meeting where governors made their stand known on the disputed N62,000 minimum wage. Governor Idris said:

”I was not part of the meeting if it was even held and I will not part of those who will not pay the agreed minimum wage, like I did say at different public fora that I will pay the agreed amount I stand by that.”

Proofreading by Nkem Ikeke, journalist and copy editor at Legit.ng.

Source: Legit.ng