A clergyman, Reverend Father Ejike Mbaka has urged that the federal government of Nigeria should make a general law that governs every man and woman under the government payroll to be drafted into the minimum wage to enable equality.
Father Mbaka made the statement while responding to questions on the African Independent Television (AIT) programme after the country was almost in a chaotic situation following the indefinite strike embarked by the organised labour according to the clergy.
The statement came after a release signed by the Acting Director, Media Affairs and Public Relations of governors Forum, Mrs Halima Ahmed, who noted that the #60,00 and above minimum wage offered by federal government is too high for several states as, according to him some states can’t afford to pay such as some will exhaust their allocation on salaries if implemented.
“If allowed to fly, many states will use all their monthly allocations from the federation account to pay workers’ salaries.” The release said.
Labour however responded by urging the governors to shun corruption and excess spending and the money they have will be more than enough.
The father however noted that everyone under the government payroll should be earning the minimum wage.
“The governors, senators, house of Assembly members should earn the minimum wage after all no one is a slave to another.
“I’m saying this for them to put things in place so that the situation will not escalate beyond their control.
“There will be a time when the government will talk to the people and they won’t listen again because it has become worse.” The father said.
He also warned against a similar situation that occurred on Monday, June 3 when the labour shut down all activities in the country where the airports, seaports, power holding company were all shut down and this may cause a national rebellion by the common masses.
That incident affected every common Nigerian who wished to travel out or into the country through air or water including those in the country as there was a national blackout.
