By Wisdom Nwedene
Since the issue of new minimum wage by Nigerian Labour Congress emerged, I have discovered that my dear Governor, David Nweze Umahi has been crying that he can’t pay workers the meagre 30, 000 naira.
While other governors are ready to pay workers more than 30k, my dear Governor is crying.
According to him, “The federal government collects 52 per cent of the revenue from the federation account and when I tried to put the N30,000 figure to Local Government Areas (LGA) it means they will borrow N1billion to add to their allocation, in paying salaries.
“I will definitely not be a governor to govern such a state and will never preside over a state that will allocate 100 per cent of its earnings to pay salaries,” he said.
Umahi from his statement has even threatened to resign just because of salary.
I’m ashamed that “the talk and do’ governor” can’t pay workers 30k.
Umahi’s attitude towards the issue of new minimum wage has finally exposed him. It has proven to the world that workers are poorly paid in Ebonyi State.
According to report, workers salary in the State have been slashed since Umahi emerged as Governor of Ebonyi State.
Ask workers in Ebonyi State, you will be shocked to hear the amount of money Umahi pays them monthly.
Umahi has hundreds of Technical advisers, Special Advisers, bought cars for Chiefs, take millions of naira every month in the name of security votes, feeding allowance, clothing allowance, etc but only 30k will cause inflation? I’m ashamed to see Umahi crying because of 30k minimum wage.
Let me share on how the country can pay minimum wage comfortably as seen online,
1. Abolish SECURITY VOTE in NIGERIA. Nigeria will pay N45,000 minimum wage comfortably.
2. a) Abolish CONSTITUENCY PROJECT FUNDS
b) Reduce no of ADVISERS to SENATE PRES(2), HOUSE SPEAKER(2), GOVs(4), PRESIDENT(5), VP(2)
c) Reduce current ALL Political Office Holders PAY CHEQUES by 51.5%, without exception
d) Do away with special remuneration to POLITICAL ADVISERS & PUBLIC SERVANTS eg; Purchase of Private Vehicles, Houses, granting Govt paid Vacations, paying for 1st & Business Class Transportations, etc, etc…
e) Abolish payment of OVERSEAS MEDICAL BILLS for Political Office Holders
f) Eliminate PRIVATE PRACTICE in public workforce
g) Eliminate participation of Public Workforce in Partisan Politics
h) Institute EMPLOYMENT BY MERIT, and eliminate UNDEREMPLOYMENT
i) Review and eliminate allocation of Govt paid POLITICAL AIDES & SUPPORT STAFF to Political Office Holders.
I strongly believe with the initiative shared above and my advice to Umahi is to calm down and stop crying over the new minimum wage, he can even pay more than 30k if he manages the resources in Ebonyi state judiciously .
