The Federal lawmaker representing Osun East Senatorial District in the Senate, Francis Fadahunsi, has called on the Federal Government and governors of the 36 states of the federation to show stronger commitment to the demands of workers for the new minimum wage.
The lawmaker noted that governors of most states have refused to make categorical statement on the demand for the new minimum wage by workers in their speeches during the Workers Day Celebration.
Fadahunsi in a release signed by his Media Adviser; Sam Segun-Progress, noted that the rising inflation and high cost of living has made payment of new living wage a necessity.
The lawmaker said political statements by the governors regarding the payment of minimum wage is a sign of them being insensitive to the plight of the workers despite the harsh economic realities facing them.
He said, “Why promising workers a committee that would look into the demand for minimum wage? Is it a committee that the workers requested for or living wage?
“The hunger and current inflation rate require prompt response and not some committees with rhetorics as we have seen some governors playing around the issue in their May Day addresses.
“I plead with the President and all our Governors to be fast about the implementation of a living wage, so that we don’t provoke the workers to an avoidable industrial unrest.
“We should not create a situation of Labour/Government face-off over this wage matter.”
The Senate Committee Chairman on Industry further said increase in wage to alleviate the sufferings of workers should be every Governor’s priority at the moment.
He, however, used the occasion to call on the workers to show more patriotism by supporting government at all levels in achieving their set goals.
He also commended governors that have announced “reasonable and responsible wage increase” in their states and urged ” others to immediately follow suit.”
