Minimum wage: Don’t plunge nation into monumental crisis, Labour tells govs

Published

2 years ago

June 9, 2024

Organised Labour has rejected claims by state governors under the aegis of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, NGF, that they cannot afford N60,000 minimum wage, urging the governors not to plunge the country into a monumental crisis.

Speaking on behalf of Labour, the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, accused the governors of lying with their resources, contending that “nothing can be further from the truth as FAAC allocations have since grown from N700 billion to N1.2 trillion making the governments extremely rich at the expense of the people.”

In a statement titled “Save the country from a certain death”, NLC’s Head of Information and Public Affairs, Benson Upah, advised the governors to cut the high cost of governance, minimise corruption as well as prioritise the welfare of workers.

The statement reads in part part : “We are alarmed by the statement credited to the Nigeria Governors Forum that state governments cannot even afford to pay N60,000 as minimum wage as “a few states will end up borrowing to pay workers every month”.

“We do believe the Governors have acted in bad faith. It is unheard of for such a statement to be issued to the world in the middle of an on-going negotiation. It is certainly in bad taste.
“As for the veracity of their claim, nothing can be further from the truth as FAAC allocations have since grown from N700 billion to N1.2 trillion making the governments extremely rich at the expense of the people.

“All that the governors need to do to be able to pay a reasonable national minimum wage (not even the N60,000) is cut the high cost of governance, minimise corruption as well as prioritise the welfare of workers.

“It is important to explain here that a national minimum wage is not synonymous with the different pay structures of different states. The national minimum wage is the lowest floor below which no employer is allowed to pay. The aim is to protect the weak and the poor.

“We are not fixated with figures but value. Those who argue that moving the national minimum wage from N30,000 to N60,000 is sufficiently good enough miss the point. In 2019, when N30,000 became the minimum, N300 exchanged for $1 (effectively making the minimum wage an equivalent of $100 or thereabouts) while the inflation rate was 11.40.

“At the moment the exchange rate is at N1,600 to $1 while inflation hovers at 33.7 per cent (40 per cent for food). This puts the value of the minimum wage at $37.5 for a family of six. This is happening at a time costs of everything have risen by more than 400 per cent as a result of the removal of fuel subsidies. This is an extreme bad news for the poor.

“Government’s policies of fuel subsidy removal, mindless devaluation of the Naira, energy tariff hike by 250 per cent and interest rate hike by 26.5 per cent will continue to hurt the economy (especially manufacturing sector) and the poor.

“Already manifest is the mass incapacity of Nigerians leading to overflowing warehouses of the productive sector of the economy. The downward trend will continue except the capacity of workers and businesses is enhanced.

“Paying a miserable national minimum wage portends grave danger to not only the workforce but the national economy as in truth, economies of most states are driven by workers’ wages.
“In light of this, we urge the governors to do a re-think and save the country from a certain death.”

‘It’s a Lie’ —Akpabio denies claims he collapsed, hospitalised in London

Published

2 hours ago

December 16, 2025

Ekwutos Blog

Nigeria’s 10th Senate president, Godswill Akpabio, dismissed claims that he collapsed and was flown to a hospital in London for treatment.

Kenny Okolugbo, Consultant on Communications and Strategy to the Senate President, said the claim about Akpabio’s health wealth was false.

When contacted by Ekwutosblog on the development, Okolugbo simply said, “It’s a lie, fake news,” without further details.

This comes amid a report on Monday by an online news platform that alleged the Senate president collapsed and was flown on a private jet to London for treatment.

EVENTS

PRESIDENT TINUBU CONGRATULATES SENATOR IFEANYI ARARUME ON HIS BIRTHDAY

Published

3 hours ago

December 16, 2025

Ekwutos Blog

President Bola Tinubu felicitates Senator Ifeanyi Godwin Ararume, astute politician and accomplished businessman, on his birthday, December 16.

Senator Ararume’s odyssey in politics began in the late 1980s, when he served as the State Treasurer of the Liberal Convention in old Imo State. He later joined the National Finance Committee of the defunct National Republican Convention.

He represented Imo North in the 9th National Assembly. He was first elected in May 1999 and re-elected in April 2003. He also served on several committees and held other official roles.

President Tinubu commends the former senator for his years of service to the nation and contributions to its peace, unity, and progress.

The President describes Senator Ararume as a resolute and shrewd politician, highlighting his courageous and remarkable political journey through the years.

President Tinubu wishes Senator Ararume a happy 67th birthday and prays that God Almighty will grant him more years of good health and strength.

Entertainment

Daddy Freeze hosts actress Doris Ogala as she opens up on alleged relationship with Pastor Chris Okafor

Published

3 hours ago

December 16, 2025

Ekwutos Blog

Daddy Freeze went live with Nollywood actress Doris Ogala as she shared her side of the ongoing controversy involving Pastor Chris Okafor, whom she claims she dated for years before things fell apart.

According to Doris, her relationship with Pastor Chris began in 2017, long before the public drama. She said they met by chance in Abuja and that he told her he was divorced at the time. She also claimed she didn’t even know he was a pastor when they first connected.

Doris said their relationship quickly became serious. She alleged that Pastor Chris introduced her to his parents, invited her to his village in Anambra State, and treated the relationship like a real commitment. She described their bond as emotional, physical, and deeply personal, insisting it was genuine love, not a casual affair.

She further claimed that while Pastor Chris preached publicly, he was privately very dependent on her, calling her often, sharing personal struggles, and even relying on her for medical prescriptions through her doctor.

Addressing why she later married another man, Doris said family pressure played a major role. She explained that her eventual husband was someone from her past who resurfaced during a vulnerable period after her father’s death. Despite not being in love, she said her family pushed her into the marriage.

Doris admitted that while her marriage was ongoing, she remained emotionally connected to Pastor Chris. She openly acknowledged engaging in phone intimacy with him during that period but maintained that there was no physical sexual relationship between them while she was married.

She described her marriage as abusive and toxic, alleging repeated physical violence and emotional distress. According to her, Pastor Chris remained her emotional support during that time, which is why communication between them never completely stopped.

Doris also claimed she has evidence to back up her story, including chats and videos, which she says Pastor Chris later shared with his lawyers.

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