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Tuesday, 04 June 2024 04:44

Minimum wage: Righteousness exalts a nation, hypocrisy doesn't - Kola Oyefeso

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Kola Oyefeso Kola Oyefeso

Both parties being the Government and Labour are not sincere and it is a wonder why the Labour Movement feels it is only the minimum wage that should concern them.

How do we explain that Labour not call for strike when Government had no qualms buying N150m SUV for each of its lawmakers, ‘dashed’ judiciary and legislators billions of naira when they didn't ask for it, got the Senate President to allocate humongous amount that ran into hundreds of billion naira into the budget for his constituency and the same Senate President was the one negotiating a palty N60,000 minimum wage for the workers. It is utterly bizarre.

The Labour leaders fared no better and not sincere with their “chop I chop” agitation. They are asking for such an unrealistic, ridiculous, unreasonable and  scandalous figure of N490,000 for the minimum wage, simply because the Executive and Legislators are living in affluence.

For crying out loud, for Government to pay even N100000 as minimum wage is an invitation for further devaluation of the Naira and spiraling inflation which going to be fast worse than being currently experienced.

Frugality must start at the top echelons of Government as it is wicked for our leaders to be living in opulence that is out of tune with the reality of the economy yet, expect the workers to feed from the pigsty.

We pray and hope uncommon sense prevails and Government reduces cost of governance, with the legislators doing away with their take home perks, especially newspapers and wardrobe allowances, thereby earning the credibility to sincerely negotiate a living wage with the Labour leaders.

The maxim is Verbum Sapienti Est.

** Aare Kola Oyefeso

An Employer of labour and owner of Nigeria's Pioneer Transformers Engineering Company.