Abuja, Sept. 4, 2024 (TheGavel)
A group of Federal Civil Servants in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, has expressed frustration and disappointment over the prolonged delay in implementing the new minimum wage of N70,000, despite the worsening economic conditions in the country. The living standard of Nigerians has continued to deteriorate since President Bola Tinubu announced the removal of fuel subsidy on petroleum products on May 29, 2023, which has led to a significant increase in the cost of living.
The liberalization of the exchange rates windows in June, through floatation of the Naira, further exacerbated the economic situation, leading to a long negotiation between the organized labor and the Federal Government. After several months of negotiation, both parties settled for N70,000 as the new minimum wage on July 19. However, the wage increase, which was supposed to take effect from January, has neither been paid nor implemented at the end of August.
Some states, including Edo, Adamawa, Osun, Taraba, Enugu, and Ebonyi, have commenced payment of the N70,000 new minimum wage to their civil servants. However, consistent checks with the Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation, the Federal Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning, and the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission have not yielded any response on when the Federal Government will implement the new minimum wage.
Civil servants have expressed disappointment and frustration over the delay, stating that it shows a lack of commitment to improving the welfare of citizens. They have been forced to cut down on non-essential expenses, find additional sources of income, and rely on family support and community savings schemes to get by during this tough time.
Mrs. Maimuna Tijani, a Civil Servant, said that the delay in implementing the new minimum wage and the wage increase was frustrating and unfair. “It shows a lack of commitment to improving the welfare of citizens,” she said. “Civil servants are already struggling to make ends meet, and the government’s failure to follow through on its promises only worsens the situation.”
Mr. Mathew Afolabi, a teacher, said that though the delay might be due to the economic challenges the government might be experiencing, it was critical to prioritize workers’ welfare. “Without a wage increase, the purchasing power of the average teacher has continued to erode, leading to more significant economic problems,” he said.
Mrs. Lydia Dimka, a Nurse, expressed disappointment at the delay. “The government has a history of delaying such promises. Unfortunately, it is the average worker who suffers the most, as inflation continues to rise while wages remain stagnant,” she said.
Ms. Chioma Ufodike said that the delay was a clear indication that the government was out of touch with the realities faced by the average Nigerian worker. “If the government understood the daily struggles, this wage increase would have been implemented immediately,” she said.
An economist, Dr. Chijioke Ekechukwu, has said that the solution for Nigerians is not just implementing the minimum wage but ensuring that the inflation rate reduces, exchange rate moderates, fuel prices reduce, employment opportunities are created, and criminality and banditry reduced. “That way, even if the minimum wage is not achieved, Nigerians will still be able to manage the economic situation,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Petroleum Corporation Ltd. (NNPCL) has directed an increase in pump price of petrol from about N568 per liter to about N855 per liter, despite the hardship already faced by Nigerians. The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called for the immediate reversal of the new increase in pump price of petrol.
The President of the NLC, Joe Ajaero, said that the congress felt a deep sense of betrayal by the increase in the pump price of petrol. “One of the reasons for accepting N70,000 as national minimum wage was the understanding that the pump price of petrol would not be increased,” he said. “We opted for the latter because we could not bring ourselves to accept further punishment on Nigerians. But here we are, barely one month after and with government yet to commence payment of the new national minimum wage, confronted by a reality we cannot explain. It is both traumatic and nightmarish.”(NAN)
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