Some union leaders in Lagos have tasked the federal government to upwardly review the current N30,000 minimum wage for Nigerian workers.

In separate interviews on Monday, the unions said that the minimum wage must be a living wage, commensurate with rising living costs due to inflation.

The chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Lagos chapter, Adeleye Ajayi, said workers must earn good salaries to live a good life.

“Inflation is rising every day. Therefore, there is a need for the government to increase workers’ salaries. Workers need to be comfortable and more productive in the different aspects of government parastatals they find themselves in,” said Mr Ajayi.

He added that government appointees at the helm of affairs should prioritise managing the nation’s resources and look for ways to create jobs for Nigeria’s teeming youths.

Ismail Adejumo, Lagos chairman of the Radio, Television, Theatre and Arts Workers Union of Nigeria (RATTAWU), said workers had continued to ensure they provided selfless services to different sectors of governments despite the economic challenges.

“The take-home wage cannot be enough to cater adequately for their daily needs because all the economic indices have gone up,” the RATTAWU chairman said.

He urged the government to reciprocate Nigerian workers’ efforts by ensuring it reviewed the current salary upwards to bring about a better life.

Also, the chairman of the Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU) UNILAG branch, Kehinde Ajibade, said it was necessary to awaken the consciousness of the government at all levels to the welfare of Nigerian citizens and workers.

“Some of our agitations boil down to the inconsistencies in our salary payment platform. We need the government to do the needful and step up to pay our three years’ arrears of minimum wage,” Mr Ajibade said.

However, the chairman of the Food, Beverage and Tobacco Senior Staff Association (FOBTOB), Salaudeen Olalekan, urged the government to continue improving security .

(NAN)