N70,000 national minimum wage a disaster—Federal workers

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 states now pay more than the federal government? The N70,000 minimum wage shows disrespect to the Nigerian workers.

It is our belief that there is a conspiracy between Mr. President and the NLC/TUC leadership to impose a poor minimum wage on workers; this is a crime against humanity. Power must not be used to suppress the people," they concluded.

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Performance Based Salaries for Workers in Nigeria Diversionary-Comrade Emelieze

The plans by the Federal government to initiate performance-based salaries is diversionary.

This assertion was made by a former chairman of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria(TUC) in Oyo state, Comrade Andrew Emelieze.

''The question is why is it now that workers are agitating for a living wage? It is obvious that this is another diversionary tactic by the Federal government to keep the national minimum wage down. However, so long as the incentives are in place, workers are not scared of performance-based salaries. It is to be noted that over the years, workers have been underpaid,'' Comrade Emelieze stated.

We want a Living Wage-Federal workers

 Federal workers in Nigeria have vowed to reject any amount that does not translate to a living wage.

The workers made this vow through the former chairman of the Oyo state council of the  Trade Union Congress(TUC), Comrade Andrew Emelieze.

''We call for justice, we demand a decent, fair and just living wage for the federal work force. We will resist and reject anything less than a living wage. Our government should also not forget to clear all outstanding arrears owed to the federal workers. We specially call on the NLC/TUC to be very reasonable and pragmatic in their negotiation for a new national minimum wage. We are in total support of the position of the NLC/TUC for a yearly review of the national minimum wage,'' Comrade Emelieze stated.

Living Wage-Federal Workers Full of Hopes-Comrade Emelieze

 

Federal workers in Nigeria have expressed hopes that the present administration would soon fix an acceptable living wage to cushion the hardships and sufferings of workers on the land.

The workers made this known through a former chairman of the Oyo state council of the Trade Union Congress(TUC), Comrade Andrew Emelieze.

''Workers in Nigeria are full of  hopes that the Federal Government would soon announce a living wage that would put an end to their sufferings and tales of woes. In this respect, N300,000 is a living wage,''Comrade Emelieze stated.

He also called on labor leaders to be democratic by embarking on exhaustive consultations before reaching decisions, adding'' rather than hasty decisions taken by labor bureaucrats without consultations.''