The Nigerian Labour Congress, Ekiti State Chapter has requested that the Federal Government raise the minimum salary for employees to N100,000 if fuel subsidies are eliminated.
The federal government announced its plan to end fuel subsidies last year and went on to win a $800 million World Bank rescue package to help Nigerians weather the impact of such a decision.
Kolapo Olatunde, the state chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), and Sola Adigun, a representative of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), made the call at a press conference to announce this year’s Workers Day celebration in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.
Olatunde said: “I tell you, if the subsidy is removed as things are, our minimum wage can never be N30,000 again. We will not take anything less than N100,000. That is the only way workers will be able to cope with the multiplier effects of subsidy removal.
“If the subsidy is removed, I am sure a bag of rice which is now about N40,000 will sell for N100,000 because the transport fares and cost of all other things will have skyrocketed.
“The right thing is to fix the economy. The advice to the Federal Government is to fix the refineries. The government can upgrade the refineries or sell them off and construct new ones.”
Adigun added that: “It is part of our rights to be well paid as and when due. At present, our N30,000 has been consumed by inflation. If workers work daily and their pay cannot take them home, then there is a problem.
“If these rights are given, if all Nigerians, no matter your background, can get those juicy jobs which are reserved for children of the privileged, there will be socio-economic justice.”