The Senator representing Edo North Senatorial district, Adams Oshiomhole, has made a strong case for a higher minimum wage, against the backdrop of the economic realities staring the nation in the face.
According to the former Governor of Edo State, the new minimum wage of N70, 000 should not be seen as a benchmark, but rather a measure to protect low income earners.
Oshiomhole made the submission while delivering the Distinguished Personality Lecture at the National Institute for Security Studies (NISS) in Abuja on Wednesday.
Entitled, National Minimum Wage: Reward System and Productivity in Africa, the lecture is one of the requirements forthe successful graduation of participants of the Executive Intelligence Management Course (EIMC) 17.
While commending Lagos, and and a few other State governments for approving higher wages, the ex-Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) president sought a review of trade policies, to reflect peculiarities.
His words: “The whole idea of minimum wage is not to determine income of workers but to protect lower income earners.
“Serious employers of labour should pay much more than the minimum wage. I commend some state governments who have already approved above N70,000 and I also believe the federal government should pay more, especially for workers in Abuja because things are pretty expensive in Abuja.
“The working people are much more poorer than they were many years ago; we need to revisit the entire approach.”
The politician argued that citizens’ purchasing power should determine minimum wage; not exchange rate.
Earlier, the Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS), Mr. Adeola Ajayi, reiterated the need for the secret service to return to its tradition of covertness and studied silence.
The DGSS, who was represented by the Dir actor of Training and Staff Development, Isaac Shotayo, said the choice of Oshiomhole as the distinguished lecture was apt, considering his record of achievements as a labour leader.
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