Senator Anthony Ani (Ebonyi South) on Friday urged Organised Labour and the Federal Government to consider and adopt the N100,000.00 as a “reasonable, realistic and sustainable living wage for Nigerian workers.”
Ani, who is a former university don, stated this while responding to questions from journalists in Abuja.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) are demanding N494,000 as minimum wage for workers while the Federal Government said that it could sustainably pay N60,000.00.
Following the development, the leadership of Organised Labour labour called out its members for an indefinite nationwide strike from last Monday, June 3, 2024.
However, the NLC and TUC suspended the strike for one week on Tuesday to allow for further negotiations following feelers that the Federal Government is prepared to up the amount from N60,000.
The Labour unions had also called for reversal of the recent hike in electricity tariffs.
Ani said: “The N494,000.00 Labour is asking Government to pay as minimum wage is not realistic. The economists and statisticians are there to do the calculation and come up with a reasonable salary.
“A salary that can carry you and carry your family. They call it a living wage; living wage should be given to workers.
“I recommend N100.000.00 minimum wage per month for workers. I am sure Nigeria can afford that. It depends on where you are living.
“One hundred thousand Naira can take you, if you are living in a rural area where you don’t pay all these bills they are paying in township.
“You only have a few of those on level 1 step 1 in urban towns. Such people could be cleaners. I don’t think there is any driver who will be on level 1 step 1. I think such people are attached to big men they are serving.
“So, in this case, they are not going to pay rent. They only pay transportation and other minor expenses. So, it can take them.”
The lawmaker, who taught Agricultural Science in different reputable universities before he resigned and joined active politics, also advised Nigerian workers to try and acquire skills as well as go into subsistent farming to be able to earn additional income to augment their salaries.
“It also calls for people to be creative. As you are doing that, you have to have Plan B; to have a fallback situation. That is why those of us who are farmers, we encourage people to go to farm. Every weekend, you go to your farm.
“You cannot understand the gains that can come from such activities. We are not saying that you should go into large scale farming but something that can help sustain you and your family.
“Some people sew clothes, some mend shoes and other artisanal activities to earn additional income,” he said.
