Minimum wage: Workers attend same market with you, be sensitive to their demand- NNPP chieftain tells NASS 

A chieftain of New Nigeria People’s Party, (NNPP), Ambassador Olufemi Ajadi Oguntoyinbo has urged members of the National Assembly to be sensitive to the demand of workers on the new minimum wage.

Oguntoyinbo said that the lawmakers should realise that workers attend the same market they are attending and there is no market for the poor.

He urged the lawmakers to provide a good voice in backing the workers on a realistic minimum wage.

He noted that the civil servants are the engine room of the government who are responsible for revenue generation.

The NNPP chieftain made these declarations via a statement made available to journalists on Wednesday.

He said that he was surprised that governors and National Assembly members who earn huge salaries and allowances monthly are saying that they cannot afford N62,000 monthly salary being proposed by the Federal Government.

He advised the lawmakers to also realise that workers are being used to execute all the government engagement in ministries and agencies.

“There was a revelation recently where it was alleged that members of the House of Representatives collect basic salary of N2.5m monthly; Furniture Allowance, N7.5m monthly; Newspapers Allowance, N1.2m monthly; Wardrobe Allowance, N621,000 monthly; Recess Allowance, N248,000 monthly; Accommodation Allowance, N4.9m monthly among others.

“If these are to be true, why are our lawmakers not sensitive to workers’ demand of a six figure minimum wage. The National Assembly should please be sincere and be realistic before signing the new minimum wage act.

“Our Lawmakers should realise that the workers attend the same market they are attending and there is no market for the poor as distinct for the rich.

“I think the national legislators in passing the new minimum wage should be sincere with the economic reality in the country where N62,000 cannot even buy a basket of tomato and a bag of beans go for about N150,000.

“Gari is now a ‘no go area’ for the workers as the prices keep increasing daily, talk less of rice that cannot be touch in the market by an average worker.

“They should realise that workers are being used to execute all the government engagement in ministries and all the parastatal, they are engine room that generate revenue to the nation”.