Nigeria’s former president, Olusegun Obasanjo has slammed the Federal Government of Nigeria and the leaders of the Nigerian Labour Congress over the approved N70,000 minimum wage.
Obasanjo said the current minimum wage approved for Nigerian workers is barely enough to cover the basic needs of any citizen.
“The minimum wage does not even cover transportation costs for some workers, let alone food, housing, and family upkeep,” Obasanjo said.
Also accusing the labour leaders of betraying workers across the nation, the former President alleged that NLC leaders are prioritising their personal gains over collective interests and the welfare of the people.
He said this in Chapter 17 of his new book, “Nigeria: Past and Future”.
According to Obasanjo, Nigerian workers need more attention than they are currently getting from the government.
He said, “How did it happen that a trade union leader, while in office, was negotiating with a political party to be adopted as a gubernatorial candidate?
“Because of their political ambitions, most union leaders are ineffective compared to the founding fathers’ expectations. The workers thereby become victims of selfish leaders who use their positions to achieve political heights,” he wrote.
He also alleged that Labour leaders are usually now called into rooms where they are stuffed with money into their hands to keep quiet.
“How do we explain a senior official close to the President saying, ‘We have paid them to keep quiet and stop agitating’?
“What contributions are such labour leaders and their unions making to the country’s progress? You do not get the best from a frustrated and depressed worker,” he added.
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