Atiku to Tinubu: Increase minimum wage

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has called on President Bola Tinubu to increase the minimum wage, while backing organised labour’s demand for a substantial increase.

Cost-of-living crisis

Atiku accused the Tinubu administration of presiding over what he described as a ruthless economic squeeze in which workers were being paid more on paper but left with less purchasing power.

He said the government’s claims of economic reforms had become an insult to Nigerians whose wages, according to him, were being eroded by rising costs of fuel and essential goods.

In a statement issued by Phrank Shaibu, Director of Strategic Communications of the ADC Presidential Campaign Council, Atiku said the removal of the petrol subsidy had caused prices to rise before adequate protection was provided for working families.

He said fuel, transport, food and rent had consumed workers’ earnings, arguing that Nigerians were being forced to bear the heaviest burden of the cost-of-living crisis.

Minimum wage

Atiku said the current minimum wage was inadequate in the face of prevailing living costs.

“At N1,400 a litre, the entire N70,000 monthly minimum wage buys just 50 litres of petrol. What does the worker take home to feed the children? What pays the rent? What gets that worker back to work on Monday?”

He urged the Federal Government to respond to the demands of organised labour and increase workers’ minimum wage.

Atiku also criticised what he described as the government’s approach to economic reforms, saying workers had been asked to make sacrifices while struggling to meet basic household needs.

“The government pulled away the floor, offered workers a flimsy umbrella and now applauds itself while the rain beats down on them,” he said.

He maintained that those earning the least had been disproportionately affected by the rising cost of living and called for measures that would provide greater economic relief for workers.