The Yoruba Leaders of Thought (YLT) has charged the Federal Government and the organised labour to come up with a realistic new minimum wage that will not jeopardise the future of Nigerians.
The group which commended both parties for handling the minimum wage negotiation with utmost caution and patriotism said it is heart-warming that the general interest of Nigerians were taken into consideration during their meetings.
Leader of the group, Alhaji Tajudeen Olusi however appealed to all parties on the negotiating table to consider the fate of the millions of stakeholders who will not benefit directly but may have to live under the burden of the outcome of their negotiations.
YLT in a statement by its General Secretary, Mr Bayo Aina said, “Our need for 21st century infrastructure can never be met if we have to keep borrowing after having spent all revenues on salaries emoluments and other recurrent expenditure.”
It further read, “Yoruba Leaders of Thought commends the team currently negotiating minimum wage for the high level of patriotism, sense of responsibility and acute awareness of the possible impact of a hasty deal on the welfare of the larger majority who may not benefit directly from the new minimum wage.”
It further called on the negotiating team to “endeavour to be fair to one and all, such that everyone may reap some benefits from the sacrifices that we all have made collectively these past months following the hike in prices of oil and the floating of the exchange rate even as organised labour appear to be asking for the lion share in the name of Nigerian workers.
“In the past 25 years, we all have watched helplessly as minimum wage moved from below N1000 and to an assured level of more than N60 thousand naira,” the statement said.
