ESV Podar Johnson, a prominent member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has advocated for a uniform minimum wage across Nigeria. CONTINUE READING
He contends that the current disparity in salary structures fosters unhealthy workplace competition, hindering economic growth and development.
Recall that the two primary labour organisations, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC), presented a proposal of N615,000 minimum wage to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s led government.
But in a swift move, Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo state announced a new minimum wage of N70,000 for civil servants in the south-south state on Monday, April 29.
Two Nigerian state governors also responded to workers’ demands and increased their salaries.
Speaking exclusively to Legit.ng via telephone chat, on Sunday, May 5, the former governorship aspirant in Plateau state, Podar Johnson, insisted there should be uniformity of workers’ salary across the three tiers of government.
Buttressing his point, the APC chieftain urged Nigerian governors to encourage wage equality, noting, “salary discrimination is the beginning of corruption in our country.”
Johnson said:
“Salary increases should have been a national issue cut across the three tiers of government. Honestly, salary discrimination is the beginning of corruption in our country.
“There should be a uniform salary structure that will encourage competition; come to think of it, as a Nigerian, you are contributing your quota to the growth of the economy, but the most disappointing issue is that you are at the same level but have different salaries.
“If I’m to advise, we should have the same salary structure but different allowances base on the services that one rendered. Imagine staying in the same area, paying the same transport to work and paying the same house rent, only to be paid a meagre salary; that, on its own discourages dignity to labour, because of discrimination.
“No wonder, the younger generation now choose the course to read base on the salary structure, that’s why our education is failing on daily basis, we should go back to sixties, it might bring back our loss glory.” CONTINUE READING
