In a recent interview, Igwe Gerald Obunadike Mbamalu, Eze Oranyelu 1, Eze Ojoto 111 in Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State, has urged the president to assemble a capable team to fix the economy, as reported by The Sun.
The monarch said the demand for a new minimum wage for Nigerian workers by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) is necessary.
He noted that the current wages of Nigerian workers are inadequate given the state of the economy.
However, he pointed out that the organized private sector would struggle to pay the N250,000 minimum wage demanded by labour.
Igwe Mbamalu discussed other issues, including why traditional rulers are largely silent on certain national matters. On the minimum wage issue.
Igwe Mbamalu stated that if the economy is fixed, the prices of goods and services will come down, reducing the demand for an increased minimum wage.
He warned that if the minimum wage is increased to N250,000, the crisis will shift to the unorganized labour sector.
"When the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) talks about minimum wage, they should also include their counterparts in the private sector."
"Yes, everybody knows that what is obtainable as salary is nothing to write home about compared to the state of the economy. Our problem is not minimum wage; our problem is that the economy is not managed properly. If our economy can be fixed, the price of goods and services will come down and there won't be demand for increase in the minimum wage."
"Before now, minimum wage was N30,000 and workers were happy working, but because of increase in prices of goods and services, workers can no longer cope with the amount. So, if government can push back things as they were before the inception of the present administration, there won't be agitation for wage increase by workers," he said.
Comments