Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has criticised the N70,000 new minimum wage approved for workers by President Bola Tinubu, describing it as grossly inadequate to cover workers’ basic needs, including transportation, food, and housing.

The former President accused labour leaders of betraying workers by prioritising personal interests over collective welfare.

“That is the situation in Nigeria in the third decade of the 21st century.

“The minimum wage does not even cover transportation costs for some workers, let alone food, housing, and family upkeep,[i]” Obasanjo wrote in his newly released book, “Nigeria: [/i]Past and Future”.

In Chapter 17 of the book, Obasanjo accused labour leader of neglecting leaders while pursuing personal interests.

“Workers need more attention than they are getting. It is their right, and they have been denied it for too long. They have become victims of those meant to protect their interests.

“How did it happen that a trade union leader, while in office, was negotiating with a political party to be adopted as a gubernatorial candidate?

“Because of their political ambitions, most union leaders are ineffective compared to the founding fathers’ expectations.

“The workers thereby become victims of selfish leaders who use their positions to achieve political heights.

“Rather than negotiate in the interest of the workers, they do sabre-rattling and they are called into the room and money in large amounts is stuffed into their hands and they keep quiet.


“That has been the case since 2015. And, if anything, it is going from bad to worse.”

Obasanjo also criticised government officials who openly admitted to paying off labour leaders to stop agitation.

“How do we explain a senior official close to the President saying, ‘We have paid them to keep quiet and stop agitating’?

“What contributions are such labour leaders and their unions making to the country’s progress? You do not get the best from a frustrated and depressed worker.”


While acknowledging that anyone has the right to pursue politics, Obasanjo argued that it was unethical for labour leaders to use their unions as platforms for political advancement, as it creates a conflict of interest.

He proposed a law requiring labour leaders to wait at least five years after leaving office before participating in politics.

On July 29, 2024, Tinubu signed the N70,000 minimum wage into law after negotiations with organised labour and the private sector were finalised on July 18, 2024.

This concluded months-long talks in which Tinubu reduced labour’s initial N250,000/month demand to N70,000/month.

Before this, the country’s minimum wage stood at N33,000, signed into law by former President Muhammadu Buhari on April 18, 2019.

Source: https://punchng.com/Minimum-wage-poor-Labour-leaders-betrayed-workers-Obasanjo

Uncle Segun is going all out to oppose the clueless govt of Broda Yekini.

Forget his name, forget his tribe, forget his antecedent. Forget ur little stipends; forget ur tribe. Focus on d msg using ur conscience then U'll see that he is telling d truth.
Remember even d 70k some r not even receiving like corp members and private workers

Lol

A nation’s progress is measured by the dignity of its people. But in Nigeria today, dignity is a luxury that only the privileged can afford. The minimum wage is #70,000per month, yet the cost of living tells a different story - it tells a story of struggle, desperation, and systemic neglect.

How does a worker survive on #70,000 when a basic plate of food costs at least #1,500, when a liter of fuel costs #900. The math is unforgiving. Fifteen days of eating a single meal would deplete an entire month’s wage. And this is before rent, clothing, healthcare, or even the most basic necessities of life are considered. What, then, of those with dépendants (families)?

Basic fruits like oranges, mangoes, bananas that were once a common delight, are now luxuries reserved for the wealthy. The working class no longer ask for variety, they ask for survival.

From Lagos to Onitsha to Kano, mothers sit in cab shuttles, cradling two children on their laps, because paying for an extra seat is unthinkable. Bikes meant for one now carry two, sometimes three, passengers, everybody risking their lives just to make it to work.

The working class cannot afford band A areas. So they stay in their slums bedeviled by erratic supply of electricity which further makes their life unbearable. A professor can’t afford to provide power for his family as the cost of fuel has risen beyond his reach, and forcing him and all in his neighborhood to abandon their generators.

It’s night, and everywhere, it is loudest, the silence of a people robbed of their right to basic comfort.

So where is NLC and TUC and ASUU? Where are the labour unions, the supposed shield of the working class? The union was meant to stand in defense of the people, to fight against suffering. Instead, it has stood by, watching in silence as workers drown in poverty, conceding for their own private pockets or in the case of ASUU, conceding for their bruised ego. They have to placate this irresponsible government. I agree with President Obasanjo, the labour movement has failed its people, and they may have all the words, but we know they are a union of inaction.

A union that does not fight for fair wages, for humane living conditions which is dependent on wages, such a union is a betrayal!!! It has allowed itself to be weakened, compromised, and rendered toothless. But the people cannot wait for salvation from those who refuse to act.

To the men and women struggling every day, your silence will not save you. The weight of this injustice imposed by this Buhari and Tinubu’s administration will not lift itself. You must demand better wages, better conditions, better leadership. You must speak not just in whispers among yourselves, but in the streets, in the offices, in every place where power resides.

I remember Fela’ suffering and smiling. History has shown that change does not come to those who suffer quietly, it comes to those who refuse to be ignored. Tinubu would not grant you a fair wage out of kindness, your union would not advocate for you as they should… they do so when the people force their hand.

And so, to the young woman, the corper,
Miss Ushie Uguamaye who has raised her voice, we hear you. There is no greater service to the people of this country. I honour your courage and pray that your fire ignite a movement too strong to be silenced.

To the rest of us, Speak. Protest!!! The time for silence is over. The time for depression is over. The It is depression imposed by a society that has condemned entire families to the diaspora.

In the university, everywhere you turn, there is only one dream left for our professors- to leave. To flee this land and seek dignity elsewhere, even if it means becoming a slave in a foreign country. How much worse for the common folks??

People do not leave their homes because they want to. They leave because they have been failed by leadership that offers them no hope, no future, no way to build a meaningful life. They leave because the streets whisper a cruel truth: "Your children will suffer if they stay." And so, the exodus continues, the young, the strong, the skilled rushing to lands that do not welcome them, but at least offer them a chance to survive.

As Fashek sang, “no more sorrow.”

Finally someone is saying it.... We should probe labour leaders.... Very corrupt set of people

🫤

I don't blame the labour leaders at all but stupid Nigerians.! If these labour leaders had genuinely wanted to fight for the people, majority of stupid Nigerians would have accused them of being political.
Just imagine what they did to the NLC president when he appeared to be fighting for the masses. These same masses accused him of alot of things, and even beat him up on some occasions! This terrible government accused him of housing terrorists and the stupid masses cheered!
Just look at what's happening to the young corper now! Some stupid masses are already attacking her!!
I don't blame the NLC president jare! Collect your own share of the loot from thiefnubuu and enjoy joor

Watch as some sycophantic slaves will come to tell us how much minimum wage was during Obj’s tenure as president.

What they will fail to factor into consideration is what the purchasing power of the currency was then compared to now.

Also they won’t tell us how Obj increased minimum wage by 1100% from N250 to N3000 between 1999-2000 and another 150% increase to N7,500 naira in 2004.

Obj is no saint, no doubt, but you can’t take away the fact that he’s still the best president we’ve had since 1999.

The new minimum wage was not even implemented. Salaries still remain the old one.

Suffering and Smiling. Our leaders are heartless

Birds of the same feather

Obasanjo is fully out for Tinubu.

They're helpless.

Even the poor minimum wage of 75,000 naira, have the criminal regime of Bola Tinubu been able to pay it completely without compromise?


Baba you follow for the problem, if you had removed this looting machine as Lagos Governor in 2003, Nigeria wouldn't have been this damaged the way it is today, so I and all well meaning Nigerians are not happy with u sir

Corpers are yet to be paid minimum wage .
Nigeria is the hell . APC miscreants will still support this

Joe Ajaero na crook, that his red eyes sef na red flag

Valid points raised especially under the current leadership of labour that was in cahoots with a political party during the last elections.

But under Baba, it was one fight to the other as the organized labour struggled to get minimum wage.

If he accepts increment in wages, then he increases petrol fuel pump prices.

How much is baba paying his staff at Ota Farms? Baba rest.

Labour Congress is as corrupt as apc, no one takes them serious anymore not even there members.

He's actually right. Corper's are still being paid 33k which at the end of the day will drop to 28k or so after paying transportation to CDS, CDS monthly due and project, this country is just OYO for our leaders, they don't care, I pity cor-members.

Tinubu is running a government of scam and blackmail .

The labour leaders were scammed by the agbado oluwole government.You can call it 419 or yahoo yahoo

Same way they scammed the Lagos house of assembly members into believing obasa will resign..
Fubara was also deceived into believing that there was a peace accord only for the real motive to crystalize.

The biggest Scam is agreeing to pay 70k minimum wage and many months later non has been paid.

The labour union is simply after their own pockets....

I overheard a very grown fool two nights ago saying "don't worry, Tinubu will save this Country in the remaining two years of his tenure"

The romance between NLC and LP is a distrastrious one.

Very poor

That short man devil - Joe Ejiro is a clueless labour leader.
All for their pockets.

WAKE-UP CALL, NIGERIANS!

Did you know that the current minimum wage of ₦70,000 is equivalent to just $41?

Compare that to 2014 when ₦18,000 was equivalent to $98!

It's time for a change! The minimum wage should be at least ₦160,000 to match the purchasing power of ₦18,000 in 2014.

franchasng:
Even the poor minimum wage of 75,000 naira, have the criminal regime of Bola Tinubu been able to pay it completely without compromise?


Baba you follow for the problem, if you had removed this looting machine as Lagos Governor in 2003, Nigeria wouldn't have been this damaged the way it is today, so I am not happy with u sir

Cry harder!

The bleached idiot is compromised

Its not about minimum wage anymore,,its about curbing inflations because its not everyone that is a civil servants.. When they increase minimum wage,,things will skyrocket again leaving average Nigerians without job hopeless..U can't expect d bastard government to increase salaries and later bring down prices of goods again..

Obasanjo should be the biggest hypocrite Nigeria has ever had as a leader. Obasanjo during his presidency eliminated any fear that subsequent political leaderships will ever have for labour, he either arrested labour leaders fighting for improved welfare or enriched a lot of them to abandon genuine fight for improved welfare. No agitation Oshiomole made as labour leader saw the light of the day. This same Obasanjo is saying this today, Buhari will also say his own tomorrow .

He's actually right. Corper's are still been paid 33k which at the end of the day will drop to 28k or so after paying transportation to CDS, CDS monthly due and project, this country is just OYO for our leaders, they don't care, I pity cor-members.