ABIA RESIDENTS REACT AS FG SET WAGE COMMITTEE

REPORTER: JOHN MADUAGWU

In Abia Statetate, mixed reactions have trailed the constitution of the minimum wage committee by the Federal Government.

Recall that with the current minimum wage expected to expire by the end of March 2024, a 37-member tripartite committee on the national minimum wage was inaugurated by the Federal Government with the mandate to speedily arrive at a resolution and submit their reports early.

Reacting to the development in an interview with Radio Nigeria, a resident of Abia State, Mr. Goddy Onwuchekwa, said that if the President and his team fail to stabilize the economy, even the new minimum wage would not be able to take workers home, let alone to enable them to meet their basic needs.

Another resident, Miss Oluchi Ozoma, wondered why the federal waited till two months to the expiration of the current minimum wage before setting up a committee to work out a new one.

She, however, urged the committee to work very hard and come up with reasonable figures that would give Nigerian workers a new lease of life given the prevailing high cost of living.

Also another resident, Mr. Kelechi Agomoh, emphasized that after the conclusion of the committee’s work and a new minimum wage agreed upon, there should be the need to ensure strict implementation, especially by state governments.

Mr. Agomoh lamented that some of the states were even having difficulty paying the N30,000 minimum wage which would soon be phased out.

EDITED BY CHUKWUBUIKE MADU