Former Minister of Information and an APC chieftain, Prince Tony Momoh, has warned that the new minimum wage of N30, 000 which was signed into law by President Buhari on Thursday April 18th, may lead to chaos.
According to Momoh who spoke in Abuja during a chat with Journalists as part of activities to mark his 80th birthday and 50th marriage anniversary yesterday April 19th, said the “so called” minimum wage is not a living wage and should not be celebrated.
According to Momoh, most state governors who are still owing their staff the N18, 000 minimum wage, will not be able to pay the new wage.
“My prediction is that the N30, 000 minimum wage will cause chaos because many state governments that were paying N7, 500 before N18, 000 was introduced could not pay then. A lot of them are currently finding it difficult to pay N18, 000. They are already saying they can’t pay and this would lead to strikes. When that happens, the nation is in trouble.
“The N30, 000 minimum wage is not a living wage. What is the percentage of the workers in Nigeria that are entitled to the N30, 000 minimum wage? What is the percentage of public servants compared to the percentage of the entire working population in Nigeria?” Momoh said
According to Momoh, most state governors who are still owing their staff the N18, 000 minimum wage, will not be able to pay the new wage.
“My prediction is that the N30, 000 minimum wage will cause chaos because many state governments that were paying N7, 500 before N18, 000 was introduced could not pay then. A lot of them are currently finding it difficult to pay N18, 000. They are already saying they can’t pay and this would lead to strikes. When that happens, the nation is in trouble.
“The N30, 000 minimum wage is not a living wage. What is the percentage of the workers in Nigeria that are entitled to the N30, 000 minimum wage? What is the percentage of public servants compared to the percentage of the entire working population in Nigeria?” Momoh said
