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SPOTLIGHTS
- Gabam believes the government can afford a minimum wage exceeding ₦100,000
- He called for a review of the fuel subsidy to ease the burden on Nigerians
- The SDP Chairman highlighted the disparity between the current minimum wage and the high cost of living
By Seyi Babalola
Shehu Gabam, the National Chairman of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), has stated that the Nigerian Government can pay more than N100,000 as a minimum salary.
Gabam made the statement during an interview on Channels Television’s Sunday Politics.
He said: “For me, what I think at this stage; the government should do something above N100,000.
“That’s what I think. It’s something that you can say is reasonably okay. It makes a little bit of sense. People can breathe, and people can go to work without thinking of sabotaging the institutions.
“They have to consider reviewing this subsidy. I’ve mentioned this severally, you can get it right with the rate of subsidy the way it is,” he added.
Meanwhile, the SDP chairman has requested that the “fuel subsidy” be adjusted.
It will be recalled that the government and labour unions have been negotiating a new minimum wage for several months.
The industrial action by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) forced the government to return to the negotiating table.
Labour leaders rejected the new offer of N62,000, up from N60,000, and pushed for N250,000, a departure from their previous demand of N494,000.
When commenting on the development, the SDP chieftain blamed it on the Nigerian Government, which launched the removal of the fuel subsidy.
According to him, that action raised the expense of life for the average person.
Gabam said, “This government initiated this crisis by removing the fuel subsidy and naturally, they don’t need to be told that there are consequences that will follow.
“What we expected is that by the time the government made up its mind to remove the fuel subsidy and the pains that would follow thereafter, the consumption rates, the supply rates, and the demand rates of the nation, no one can stand it.
“You are paying civil servants and other private employees just N30,000. And then when you go to the market, there is nothing of the lowest that you can get at the cost of N30,000.”
