New minimum wage: When on earth will it be implemented?

Our attention has been drawn to the latest buzz trending presently on our national landscape. The new minimum wage as demanded by organized labour has been in the front burner of national discourse for a while. This issue should not be pushed aside by the government but must be given the needed attention. The Federal Government must act on it and that quickly.

This palaver must not be allowed to degenerate any further than it already has. The government and all its apparatus must see to the review of workers’ salaries and emoluments. Every worker is entitled to a review of emoluments and the case of the Nigerian worker must not be an exception. In developed economies, inflation is taken care and this is reflected in the take-home-pay of the workers.

The Federal Government needs to review the minimum wage to see how the interest of Nigerian workers would not be undermined. As far as I am concerned, N18,000 minimum wage as operational in Nigeria should be reviewed. There is a pressing demand on our currency which has been afflicting its purchasing power. Our naira keeps depreciating. This is not good and the Federal Government must do something drastic about it. The president’s economic team must rise to the occasion.

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There has been news making the round that the government is making moves to enforce the no-work-no-pay rule. This will be counterproductive. It is clearly not in the interest of the nation. The demand for a review of the minimum wage is constitutional except the government is indicting itself by going against the constitution.

The Nigerian currency has always been afflicted by constant devaluation, resulting in inflation. The cost of goods and services has always been on the rise and nothing appears to have been done to stop this sad trend. When we compare this with other economies of the world we discover a deliberate attempt at strengthening of their currencies. The demand of an increment of the minimum wage should be taken in realisation of our economy.

In every serious economy of the world, the welfare and prioritisation of the civil servant are never in doubt. Why must the Nigerian case be different? We must collectively rise to tell the government, whether federal or state, that it is their responsibility to ensure the welfare of their workers. It is our business; it is government’s business.

Salami Sheriff, abdulsalamsheriff2018@gmail.com