Ogun Labour To Demand New Minimums Wage
THECONSCIENCE NG reports that Indications have emerged that organized labour in Ogun may demand for a new minimum wage of N104,000 for workers in the civil service following the same wage approval by the Imo State Government.
Already, the Lagos State chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) had demanded for N150,000 as new minimum wage for its workforce due to the wage increase by both Imo and Ebonyi government respectively.
Labour leaders in Ogun State, including the Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Com. Hameed Benco, and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Com. Akeem Lasisi, disclosed this in separate exclusive interviews on Sunday in Abeokuta, the state capital.
Benco said with the increase in huge allocation received from the Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) by the state, he was certain that the Dapo Abiodun-led administration could pay the wage when demanded for.
He said that the N77,000 minimum wage paid by the government was too small to cater for workers’ needs, especially in the face of economic hardship and skyrocketing inflation, insisting that the demand for a new wage could mitigate the effects on them.
Benco, who expressed confidence that the state government could pay a wage of N104,000 owing to the huge revenue generated as the industrial hub of Nigeria, said he believed Abiodun as a worker-friendly governor would accede to their demand when tabled before him.
“We are having hope of doing that anytime from now. Yes, we are expecting that from the governor, we realize they have increased their FAAC allocation if not five times. I need you to know that we are the second in one of the most revenue generation states,” he said.
Similarly, his TUC counterpart, Com. Lasisi, said that plans were underway by organized labour to meet the governor on a new minimum, stressing that Ogun State Government could also approve N104,000 as new minimum wage as Imo State, due to its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).
Lasisi, who commended Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma, for laying a foundation through the approval of the N104,000 minimum wage for governors to follow, urged the state governor to consider a fresh minimum wage for the workers to enable them perform their jobs better.
He said to meet the requirements of a new minimum wage for workers in the state, the government needed to eradicate all financial leakages and reengineer the revenue generation process as well as manage its resources to improve workers’ living conditions.
The TUC Chairman said: “Yes, there is a plan. The governor has laid a foundation for others to follow. If Imo State can achieve this, then other states, especially Ogun State, which is next to Lagos State in terms of Internally Generated Revenue (IGR), can also succeed.
“When workers are paid well, they are both physically and mentally balanced, enabling them to perform their duties to the best of their abilities.
“Yes, because the government’s challenges do not require complex solutions; they need uncommon political commitment to support workers.
“Reengineering the revenue generation process and eliminating all financial leakages is also essential for government to meet the demands.
“The government can afford to pay better salary if it can reduce the high costs associated with running government with high cost.
“It is unacceptable for a privileged few to live extravagantly while workers, who are made to gather state financial resources, continue to struggle to live.
“Attributing workers’ hardships solely to a lack of financial resources is a misdirection.
“The government needs to think creatively about ways to overcome these challenges and create a prosperous environment that benefits everyone.
“We firmly believe that practical and strategic resource management can improve workers’ conditions.
“Workers deserve to be treated with the utmost care and attention, especially given our unsettling circumstances.
“It is the government’s constitutional duty to fulfil its financial obligations to workers,” he added.
