Nigeria News Nalin Former President Olusegun Obasanjo criticized 70,000 minimum wages, saying it was seriously insufficient to meet the basic needs of workers, including transportation, food and housing.
Obasanjo made a remark in his latest release of book Nigeria: The Past and the Future, where he accuses labor leaders of betraying workers and prioritizing personal interests over collective welfare of employees.
The former president believes that the new minimum wage does not reflect Nigeria’s current economic reality.
“This is the case in Nigeria in the thirty years of the 21st century. The minimum wage doesn’t even pay for some workers’ transportation, let alone food, housing and home maintenance,” he wrote.
The former president suggested that truly livable wages must take into account inflation rates, cost of living and the purchasing power of Nigerian workers.
In Chapter 17 of his book, Obasancho accuses the labor leader of damaging workers’ interests over individual political ambitions.
“Workers need more attention than they get. It’s their right, they’ve been denied for too long. They have become victims of people who aim to protect their own interests,” he said. he wrote.
He further criticized union leaders for allegedly negotiating for personal gain, rather than fighting for fair wages and better working conditions.
Obasanjo further pointed out that “During their tenure, union leaders are negotiating with a political party to negotiate as a candidate for governor? Because of their political ambitions, most union leaders are ineffective compared to the expectations of the Founding Fathers.”
According to Obasanjo, some labor leaders engage in “sabre harassment” – noise about workers’ welfare, just to collect bribes and keep silent in the back of a closed door.
The older politician claims that “It’s better to say Thackeray mess than negotiating for the benefit of the workers, they’re called into the room, a lot of money is stuffed into their hands, and they keep quiet. This has been the case since 2015. And, if anything, it’s getting worse.”
“Labor Leaders Stay Quiet” – Obasancho accusation
Obasancho further revealed that some government officials publicly acknowledged bribing labor leaders to prevent them from protesting against bad policies.
He said “How do we explain a senior official close to the president said: ‘We have paid them to keep quiet and stop stirring’? What has such a labor leader and his union contributed to the progress of the country? You won’t get the best from frustrated and frustrated workers.”
He insists that corruption within the union is exacerbating the plight of Nigerian workers, as many leaders prioritize personal abundance over real advocacy.
Obasanjo acknowledged the right of labor leaders to join politics, but argued that political leverage during his still-in-service period was immoral.
He proposed a law that would prohibit labor leaders from fighting for political stances for at least five years after leaving office to prevent conflicts of interest.
On July 29, 2024, President Bola Tinubu signed 70,000 minimum wage bills after months of negotiations with organized labor and private sector stakeholders.
Initially, the union demanded 250,000 per month, but the government retorted with a 48,000 offer and then eventually settled for 70,000.
Prior to this, Nigeria’s minimum wage was 33,000, and former President Muhammadu Buhari signed the law on April 18, 2019.
Despite the increase, workers and economic analysts believe that 70,000 people are still under a shortage given high inflation, rising cost of living and depreciation in the Naira.
