Workers in Lagos have urged the state government to ensure their welfare is prioritised in the decision-making process.

The workers made the call on Wednesday at the Onikan Stadium, Lagos, during the May Day celebration.

The chairman of the Radio, Television, Theatre, and Arts Workers Union of Nigeria, Ismail Adejumo, said a living wage was top of workers’ expectations.

“Most people now cannot survive because of this prevailing economic situation, and we are using this occasion to do a retrospect and call on the government to cushion the effects of this harsh economy,” said Mr Adejumo. “We are appealing to them to give us a living wage, not just a minimum wage.”

He added, “We appreciate the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which has magnanimously appreciated the feelings and pains of Nigerian workers to come up with the increase in our CONPSS. This is to give credence to the fact that there are disparities in wages in some sectors; some are earning fabulously, while some are earning little.

“This is a great injustice and President Bola Tinubu has magnanimously approved that, and we appreciate that and thank him. We want him to look deeply on the genuine template or amounts that will be the new national minimum wage that will cut across all sectors.”

Kelvin Etemike, a member of the National Association of Nigerian Footballers, appealed to the government to raise the minimum wage for all workers.

The chairwoman of Nigeria Labour Congress in Lagos, Funmi Sessi, said the council had been at the forefront of fighting for workers’ welfare and improved condition of service.

Ms Sessi commended Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu for intervening to cushion the effects of the economic problems and ameliorate the suffering of the state’s workers.

Also, the Lagos chair of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, Gbenga Ekundayo, said Lagos residents faced significant struggles due to the high cost of living despite the state being the nation’s economic powerhouse.

Mr Ekundayo said, “The removal of fuel subsidy and the poorly timed devaluation of the currency have only exacerbated the situation, leading to soaring prices of goods and services. Housing costs have reached unprecedented levels, making it increasingly difficult for workers to afford decent accommodation within reasonable proximity to their workplaces.

“As representatives of the trade union, we vehemently oppose measures that undermine the welfare of the masses. We stand united in our commitment to mobilise against anti-people policies and demand immediate action to alleviate the burdens faced by the working class.”

He added, “Specifically, we call for the immediate reversal of the last electricity tariff hikes and urge the government to prioritise policies that benefit the majority of people, not just the elite.”

(NAN)