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N70,000 national minimum wage a disaster—Federal workers

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Federal workers in Nigeria have described the 70,000 Naira national minimum wage as a disaster. The workers made this assertion in a letter to President Ahmed Tinubu dated 8th April, 2025, titled WHAT IS OUR OFFENSE? FEDERAL WORKERS HAVE SUFFERED ENOUGH; THIS HARDSHIP IS UNBEARABLE; STOP THIS TORTURE , and signed by the National Coordinator (FWF), Comrade Andrew Emelieze, and Secretary General, Comrade Itoro Obong. ''Mr. President, you can not pretend not to hear us; federal workers are calling for justice. Our well-being is not taken seriously by you. The 70,000 naira minimum wage is a ridiculous disaster; it cannot even suffice as a transportation allowance for less than five workers for a month. We have been abandoned and neglected. The recent minimum wage is one of the testimonies of our plights. The mere fact that the benchmark for the minimum wage is N70,000 does not mean that the federal workers should be paid that minimum. Is it not a shame that some st...
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Workers Welfare : Michael Imoudu as a Role Model 2



The need for an increase in wages and better working conditions prompted Imoudu to lead a demonstration from the locomotive yard in Ebute metta, Lagos to the Government House situated at Marina, Lagos Island, Lagos.
The Governor General of the Colony of Lagos, Bernard Bourdillon noticed that any form of industrial action at that period, could disrupt railway supplies to the coalition, during the Second World War in 1941. It was on this premise he acceded to a 50 per cent pay rise for the workers.

This success, further inspired Imoudu to put forward more demands, among which were conversion of daily casual labour to salaried employment, Saturday work with pay, permanence of daily labour, holiday travel grant and payment of arrears to cover 1932 to 1942 of unpaid entitlements.
This did not go down well with Bourdillon, who facilitated the termination of Imoudu’s appointment on 23 January, 1943 and also ordered his arrest under the Nigeria General Defense Regulations, 1941.
In quick succession he was relocated and remanded at the Benin prison, while in prison, he influenced inmates to demonstrate against poor feeding and other deplorable prison conditions.
In response, the British Colonial Government in 1943, restricted Imoudu’s movement to the palace of the paramount Chief of Auchi and made an order for him to report twice a week to the Auchi Police station.
As a result of a face off with the District Officer of Auchi and his moves to facilitate the establishment of peasants’ cooperatives for the benefit of peasants in Etsako and Ora, he was again remanded in the Auchi prison.
Some of his comrades, including T.A Bankole openly spoke against Imoudu’s action, to the hearing of the Chief Secretary of Government.
After spending two and a half years in prison, the labour activist was set free.
A mass rally was held at Oko-Awo, Lagos to celebrate his release from prison, while nationalists such as Herbert Macaulay were on ground to grace the occasion.
In June 1945, he successfully led over 30,000 workers to down tools for 44 days.
The industrial action was hinged on the inability of the colonial Government to actualize the promise of Bourdillon in 1942, to review allowances according to living index.
Bourdillon’ successor, Arthur Frederick Richards vigorously refused to pay the allowance.
This resulted in the abrupt end of the unpopular Richards constitution, and set the stage for self government. To be continued.
Solomon Adewunmi is the Editor-in-Chief , The New Federation(news2day.emyspot.com)/Liberty Port(2day.emyspot.com)/Federationews2day(one.emyspot.com). He attended Ajeromi Ifelodun High School, Olodi-Apapa, Lagos/Ibadan Grammar School, Ibadan and the University of Lagos. Solomon possesses a Bachelor of Science degree in Sociology, BBC/EC CERTIFICATE IN NEWS JOURNALISM (FEB. 2001), CERTIFICATE IN ARTS AND CULTURE CRITICISM (NANTAP MAY 2001) ,CERTIFICATE IN PEACE JOURNALISM (JUSTICE,DEVELOPMENT AND PEACE COMMISSION), CERTIFICATE IN CONFLICT ANALYSIS[UNITED STATES INSTITUTE OF PEACE ONLINE TRAINING PROGRAM, OCT.2004] ,CERTIFICATE IN INTERFAITH CONFLICT RESOLUTION( UNITED STATES INSTITUTE OF PEACE, JAN. 2009).

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Ceaseless Prayers

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 Let us pray ceaselessly for God to open the eyes of those who have political power and have become committed to unjust economic policies and deep social injustices.  Amos 8:4-14 Hear this, O ye that swallow up the needy, even to make the poor of the land to fail, 5 Saying, When will the new moon be gone, that we may sell corn? and the sabbath, that we may set forth wheat, making the ephah small, and the shekel great, and falsifying the balances by deceit? 6 That we may buy the poor for silver, and the needy for a pair of shoes;  yea , and sell the refuse of the wheat? 7 The LORD hath sworn by the excellency of Jacob, Surely I will never forget any of their works. 8 Shall not the land tremble for this, and every one mourn that dwelleth therein? and it shall rise up wholly as a flood; and it shall be cast out and drowned, as  by  the flood of Egypt. 9 And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the Lord GOD, that I will cause the sun to go down at noon, and I wi...
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Lawmakers are very far from Nigerians-Comrade Emelieze

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Lawmakers in both chambers of the National Assembly and the State Houses of Assembly have long ceased to represent the electorate in Nigeria. This assertion was made by the convener of the Federal Workers Forum, Comrade Andrew Emelieze. ''For some years now, the elected representatives of Nigerians in both chambers of the National Assembly and State Houses of Assembly have stopped representing the people. They now represent their self-centered interests. Have they done enough to reverse the economic hardships giving Nigerians sleepless nights?'' ''It has been zero intervention as regards the present economic hardships confronting Nigerians. Are those in the legislature just passing time? What is the relationship between the Executive and the Legislature? The answer is the relationship is symbiotic. This is the major reason why they have enough time for frivolities and non-issues. The lawmakers are very far from their constituents and are not in touch with the pa...
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Oyo Government not taking our welfare seriously-Health Workers

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  Some health workers in Oyo state have expressed reservations over the continued delay of the state government to meet their demands. The health workers, who are members of the Nigeria Union of Allied Health Professionals(NUAHP), Hospital Management Board unit, lamented that the state government ''is not taking our welfare seriously.'' ''The state government has continued to treat health workers on its payroll with levity. We are not happy about this, the government should urgently address our demands, they stated. However, the chairman of the unit, Comrade Olanrewaju Ajani disclosed that of all the demands of the health workers, the state government had only reviewed the hazard allowance. ''Before the 21-day ultimatum we gave the state government on 4th March 2024 elapsed, the government appealed to us to be patient. We appeal to the state government to do something on time. We have provided enough evidence. It is only the hazard allowance that has bee...
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