President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Mr. Ayuba Wabba, yesterday, urged President Muhammadu Buhari to increase workers’ current minimum wage without further delay.
He said the demand by the organized labour was in view of the economic recession, noting that N18, 000 was not an amount that any worker can survive on.
Wabba said increment was the strategy the United States used to address recession.
He argued that the economy cannot return to its former state unless the citizens have purchasing power.
“The state of the country’s economy requires that we increase minimum wage. We need to empower the people to buy and sell. If the economy is at standstill and people cannot buy, the economy will not grow.
“It is the workers’ money that keeps the economy growing. It is not the fund disbursed for big contracts that are kept in different accounts that keeps the country economy growing.
“That was the logic that helped the United States to revive their economy,” he added.
Meanwhile, President Buhari has urged Nigerians to always speak positively about the country in spite of the current economic recession.
Buhari made the call at the 7th National Prayer Breakfast organised by the National Assembly on Thursday in Abuja.
Represented at the occasion by the Secretary to Government of the Federation, Mr Babachir Lawal, Buhari assured Nigerians that the recession would end very soon as the government was doing all within its power to restore the economy of the country.
“As Christians and political leaders, we must strive to be the light of the world by speaking positively concerning the state of the nation.
“These hard times we are in, require leaders who are aware of the situation to stand in the gap to see how to turn the situation around.
“I have total faith that Nigeria will emerge from this crisis strong, united and prosperous, this will come to fruition in the lifetime of this government.
“Also as Christians and leaders we should all thank God for the opportunity to be key player in this time of economic meltdown,” Lawal admonished.
