Tinubu’s Govt Told to Pay N75,000 as New Minimum Wage, Details Emerge

• Amid the new minimum wage impasse, Reno Omokri has insisted that Nigeria cannot afford to pay any amount requested by the organised labour
• Omokri said the Bola Ahmed Tinubu-led government should not enforce a minimum wage that state governments cannot afford
• Legit.ng reports that the outspoken social commentator stated that "living standards are not equal around Nigeria"

Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering public journalism in Nigeria.

FCT, Abuja - Reno Omokri, a socio-political analyst and writer, has said Nigeria is not rich and cannot afford to pay any amount as a minimum wage requested by the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC).

In a tweet on his verified handle on Wednesday night, June 12, Omokri asserted that the Bola Tinubu government should pay N75,000 as a minimum wage and allow the states to pay what they can afford, rather than enforcing a minimum wage that they cannot afford on them.

Read also

NLC reacts as Tinubu speaks on payment of new minimum wage

Minimum wage: Omokri proposes amount less than N100K

According to the diaspora-based Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) member, "that would reflect true federalism".

Omokri wrote:

"My position is that Nigeria is not rich and cannot afford to pay any amount requested by the Nigerian Labour Congress, as you (Sule Lamido) asserted in your interview with @seunokin on @channelstv. But of course, that was an opinion, and I am not infallible. I still hold that position.

"I think the federal government should pay N75,000 as a minimum wage and allow the states to pay what they can afford, rather than enforcing a minimum wage that they cannot afford on them.

"To me, that would reflect true federalism and the fact that living standards are not equal around Nigeria."

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PDP chief reacts as Nigerian governor implements new minimum wage: “Some are still paying N30,000”

Lagos workers should earn N150K or more - AA candidate

Tope Abdulrasaq Balogun, the governorship candidate of the Action Alliance (AA) in Lagos state during the 2023 election, has said the general minimum wage being operated fits the federal government workers more "due to interstate transfer possibilities".

Balogun stated that every state can have reasonable and most practicable minimum wages for their workers.

Balogun told Legit.ng:

"As for me who is based in Lagos state, considering all factors of minimum standard of living, no worker should collect anything lesser than N150,000.

"If this is not considered, we will keep having stressed workers whose productivity won't be at par with their capacities because they will have to keep dealing with factors mitigating against their comfort like housing, feeding, transportation amongst other obligations they won't be able to fulfill like it is today."

More to read on minimum wage

• New minimum wage: NLC/TUC releases statement as governors say they cannot pay N60,000
• Labour may resume strike as top official speaks on imminent meeting over minimum wage
• NLC speaks on “most important thing” as Tinubu decides on new minimum wage

Read also

“Not going beyond N62k”: Don speaks as new minimum wage awaits legislative action

New minimum wage: NLC president hails Obaseki

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that Joe Ajaero, the president of the NLC, berated state governors under the umbrella body of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) for rejecting the N62,000 minimum wage proposal of the Tinubu administration.

Ajaero questioned Nigerian governors calling for the decentralisation of the minimum wage, urging them to emulate Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo state who is paying civil servants a minimum wage of N70,000.

Source: Legit.ng