Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, has thrown his weight behind a new national minimum wage for Nigerian workers, saying that even if N66,500 is not attainable, N50,000 should be the monthly threshold.
Ekweremadu said time has come to lighten the burden of workers and that they have relented even in the face of untold challenges and hardship.
“It is becoming more difficult for workers to survive on N18,000 minimum wage. It is absolutely less than a living wage.
“The take-home pay has left most workers stranded on the road as it is becoming very difficult for an average worker to take care of essential needs, especially in the absence of basic amenities.
“Therefore, I support workers’ demand for a new minimum wage and the ongoing negotiations initiated by government to that effect. Even if the workers cannot have the N66,500 new monthly National Minimum Wage, which they currently demand, they should have at least N50,000 as the new monthly minimum wage.
“Let us be realistic. It will be difficult to wage a successful war against graft in the absence of a reasonable wage for the workers. A new, reasonable and realistic minimum wage is central to the war against corruption because we cannot in good conscience expect that the citizens will wholeheartedly fight corruption on an empty stomach. That is why the basic responsibility of any government is the welfare and security of the citizens and their property so that they are not tempted to resort to self-help. Nigerian workers deserve a better deal,” he said.