Subsidy: Group canvasses N200,000 minimum wage, e-governance days for workers

A Non-Governmental Organisation, Workers’ Alliance for Inclusive Socio-economic Reforms (WAISER), has canvassed N200,000 monthly salary as minimum wage for Nigerian workers to cushion effects of the recent fuel subsidy removal by the Federal Government.

The group also proposed to government, two days of the week as e-governance work days in line with the global emerging trends.

The National Coordinator of the group, Mr Amodu Isiaka, disclosed this in a statement made available to our correspomdent in Abuja on Wednesday.

The proposal, according to Isiaka will help boost productivity and increase morale of Nigerian workers.

Isiaka said the call became imperative to urgently reduce the pains workers are going through in view of the subsidy removal.

He said the socio-economic realities of the removal are currently being faced by about 130 million Nigerians living below poverty line; with over 30 per cent unemployment rate.

Speaking further on the proposal, he said, “this will automatically reduce work-related expenditure by as much as 40%.

“Kwara, Edo and some other states have embraced declaration of two days as work free days. Benue has experimented with work- free days for farming. Kaduna State also has a work-free day policy.

“The Federal Government has an existing initiative on e-governance through National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and Security Exchange Commission (SEC).

“This was designed to among others to
support the development of government eservices for responsive, efficient, effective and equitable delivery of public service to all people in strategic sectors of the economy.

“Apart from saving cost, productivity will be more transparent, measurable and manageable one government platforms.

“Hence, it will be an incentive for improved performance in service delivery,” he added.

On the minimum wage, the national coordinator said, “there should be an immediate upward review of wages for workers.

“The minimum wage of 30,000 naira is no longer tenable. We are proposing 200,000 naira per month (about 500% increase).

Among other proposals put forward by Isiaka is the immediate financial and technical supports to schools and hospitals in the private sector of the economy.

He also called for special allowances for Military and Police Personnel (MPP) while a state of emergency should be declared in the agriculture and housing sectors.