Former Senator representing Kaduna Central, Shehu Sani, has called on the Federal Government to address the issue of minimum wage, noting that no Nigerian worker can survive on less than N100,000 given the current economic situation in the country.

Sani stated this while discussing the ongoing minimum wage controversy between organized Labour and the federal government in an interview with ARISE TV.

The former lawmaker maintained that the government had the resources to pay a reasonable minimum wage, adding that a living wage for the labourers was not a bad idea.

He said, “I don’t know how a Nigerian can survive with less than N100,000. If you break down what the government is offering N45,000-48,000, you will see how unrealistic it is by the time you factor in many things. The position taken by labour should be considered by the government.

“It is one thing agreeing to increase the minimum wage and then the capacity to pay. Let us not forget that in the last few years, the government has been finding it difficult to even pay the ones that they already have on paper, so how this could be reflected should be considered.

“But from what we have learnt since the withdrawal of subsidy, the government has more money and there’s no better way to effectively and productively spend it than to increase the minimum wage of Nigerian workers to a reasonable point where he can adequately take care of his family.

“Economic reforms are taking place in this country, there are consequences for the reforms. They are supposed to be sacrifices but it should be across the board.

“Workers are seeing that money is coming in trillions, they want their own share. When a nation subsidises, it makes more value for wages but when they are removed, you have to pay for it.”

Source: https://dailytrust.com/Minimum-Wage-No-Worker-Can-Survive-On-Less-Than-N100000-Shehu-Sani

Problem with the more-money advocates is they don't realise it only solves temporarily the problem of lack and imposes inflation on the long run. Tripling the minimum wage may sound sweet for the moment, but when a very simple economy releases so much money into the hands of people termed "workers" and they hit the market to make demand, the trend of inflation over the past 6 years that has eaten the profit margin of the sellers and distributors will propel them to attempt to jerk up prices then regain their former status and possibly improve it. That will lead to a new inflation cycle and N100k may never buy you what even N20k can as of today. Same mistake we made promting money to pay people who don't help production of essentials in anyway.

No one is talking about the problem of low productivity of essentials that brings about low supply and thus higher prices. What about rent seekers that just form strong units and extort productive people? People like louts, bandits, secret societies,idle police officers, career grassroot politicians etc ?

The government doesn’t care whether they survive or not

givedemwotowoto:
The government doesn’t care whether they survive or not

our government was formed to favour the idle majority by exploiting the minority. That's why we still sponsor hajj with N90Bn while grappling with so many internal problems that needs a fraction of that. It comes from ND oil and not the sweat of anyone(tax). But now we are trying to move into taxing people to run the system, the system is already so corrupt that people aren't willing to pay taxes that will be looted and used to execute useless inflated projects.

CodeTemplar:
our government was formed to favour the idle majority by exploiting the minority. That's why we still sponsor hajj with N90Bn while grappling with so many internal problems that needs a fraction of that. It comes from ND oil and not the sweat of anyone(tax). But now we are trying to move into taxing people to run the system, the system is already so corrupt that people aren't willing to pay taxes that will be looted and used to execute useless inflated projects.

In fact, your response deserves......

The Government is not serious

Yes

Sometimes i wonder how people survive even the unemployed ones.never been this bad
If you supported buhari and supporting the clueless tax collector you are an enemy of the people.

If some Nigeria state governors can be owning months salary for ordinary N30k, one even dey pay half self, then it's likely possible that the workers have to wait for a year before getting their salaries with the new N100k

Actually it's 300k for real

500k or nothing

givedemwotowoto:
The government doesn’t care whether they survive or not

that it

100k is reasonable..

For all your CAC needs Call/WhatsApp(07080154326)

Lets get this straight
Are we really serious about this
Or just media stunts as always

EVEN WITH N215K AND THE CURRENT INFLATION, NO ONE CAN SURVIVE.
THIS NOT WITHSTANDING,. TINUBU MUST REGULATE THE ECONOMY AS FOLLOWS,
MINIMUM WAGE AT N50000
PETROL AT N500 PER LITER
CEMENT PRICES AT N5000 PER BAG
KEROSENE AT N500 PER GALLON
DIESEL AT N600 PER LITER
PENSIONS TO ALL AS THEY'RE PAID TO THE MILITARY.
ALL GOVERNORS SHALL CONSTRUCT ONE BOREHOLE PER STREET IN THEIR RESPECTIVE STATES.


Orisa37

300k abeg. Surviving in Nigeria with anything less than that when everything is worsening everyday will be difficult to fathom

Yea,100k is a good start

Hellanus, Yarimo and BBQ guy can survive on 30k stipend. They have be receiving that over 9yrs now

Higher Minimum wage
=Higher Inflation
=New Demand for Higher Minimum wage
=Higher Inflation
...

&the Vicious Cycle continues...

Will they agree on that amount is the question

COMRADES, 100k? The inflation will skyrocket, government should reinstate all the subsidises it had 'deleted' from her various programmes

CodeTemplar:
Problem with the more-money advocates is they don't realise it only solves temporarily the problem of lack and imposes inflation on the long run. Tripling the minimum wage may sound sweet for the moment, but when a very simple economy releases so much money into the hands of people termed "workers" and they hit the market to make demand, the trend of inflation over the past 6 years that has eaten the profit margin of the sellers and distributors will propel them to attempt to jerk up prices then regain their former status and possibly improve it. That will lead to a new inflation cycle and N100k may never buy you what even N20k can as of today. Same mistake we made promting money to pay people who don't help production of essentials in anyway.

No one is talking about the problem of low productivity or essentials that brings about low supply and thus higher prices. What about rent seekers that just form strong units and extort productive people? People like louts, bandits, secret societies,idle police officers, career grassroot politicians etc ?

Inflation is not an excuse to make people suffer. Paying people what's due isn't what's going to bring inflation. If government wants to show good faith, they can cut unnecessary spending on frivolities and pay workers. I can't imagine the government saying the minimum wage should be N48,000. For what exactly? You can't even get a good meal for N1,000 anymore, not to talk of three square meal nor meal for the family. If government truly wants to bring down inflation, there are so many ways to do that and not by stifling poor workers and giving stupid excuses. Dealing with systemic corruption will bring down inflation. Investing in the right sectors the right way will bring down inflation, production, like you said, will bring down inflation and cutting the cost of government and stupid things like N90bn for Pilgrimage will bring down inflation. Not transferring the cost to people who actually work. Yes, there may be unproductive people in the system, but that doesn't mean the ones who actually work should be paid like slaves and can't even afford to feed while the stupid politicians go about in pomp and glory.

Be a little sympathetic to the ploy of workers and not use inflation as an excuse. This government is already a collosal failure but they could begin to do the right thing by putting forward a better living minimum wage and make it a law with penalties for defaulters, whether private or govt. Whether that wage is N100k is up for debate, but N48,000 is an insult!

homealone00:
500k or nothing

No be only 500k na 10 Billion or nothing

The sentiment from government is the addition of perculiar award and wage award summing it up to 77k. This is nothing as the amount isn't impactful.

They should reasonably pay their workers abeg!

ejieddy:


Inflation is not an excuse to make people suffer. Paying people what's due isn't what's going to bring inflation. If government wants to show good faith, they can cut unnecessary spending on frivolities and pay workers. I can't imagine the government saying the minimum wage should be N48,000. For what exactly? You can't even get a good meal for N1,000 anymore, not to talk of three square meal nor meal for the family. If government truly wants to bring down inflation, there are so many ways to do that and not by stifling poor workers and giving stupid excuses. Dealing with systemic corruption will bring down inflation. Investing in the right sectors the right way will bring down inflation, production, like you said, will bring down inflation and cutting the cost of government and stupid things like N90bn for Pilgrimage will bring down inflation. Not transferring the cost to people who actually work. Yes, there may be unproductive people in the system, but that doesn't mean the ones who actually work should be paid like slaves and can't even afford to feed while the stupid politicians go about in pomp and glory.

Be a little sympathetic to the ploy of workers and not use inflation as an excuse. This government is already a collosal failure but they could begin to do the right thing by putting forward a better living minimum wage and make it a law with penalties for defaulters, whether private or govt. Whether that wage is N100k is up for debate, but N48,000 is an insult!

majority of the worker are not working anything that's the problem.
We are all in this country and should stop deceiving ourselves. We all know how people climb the altar to testify of Job appointment and salary without going to work. That's how bad the entitlement mentality scourge is. When you give a local govt "worker" 100k and they hit the market, the suffering fatlrmer won't sit back and watch you buy his produce cheaply in a record time. They know if that happens, they will run out of supply faster and end up buying their own produce at a higher cost to even survive. When so many worker are willing to pay the going price, sales peaks and they seller start adjusting upward. Inflation has started again. You are back to square one and worse off than the previous state. Worker should be productive to qualify as workers and not jjust connected to be qualified as one.

You see crude oil money has been overbooked as it is. It was this free crude money that bankrolled the wasteful lifestyle of idleness and corruption all along.

I hope people know that paying your private workers below the minimum wage is a crime

Those shouting minimum wage minimum wage of 500k

Hope u can pay gateman 500k , cleaner 500k , house help 500k

Hope u know the meaning

Just pay the money for the minimum wage to dangote to reduce the price of fuel to 350 per liter and watch the prices of things go down.

Fuel subsidy was quickly removed, now salary that will be used to buy this same fuel ⛽ isn't increased.