NAN-H-66
Recession
By Bukola Adewumi/Funmi Adeyemi
Abuja, Dec 20, 2016 (NAN) Mr Issa Aremu, the General-Secretary, National Union of Textile Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria (NUTGTWN) has called for pay rise in civil servants’ salaries to cushion the effects of the current recession in the country.
He made the call at the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) forum on Tuesday in Abuja.
He said inflation had diminished the purchasing power of civil servants and their take home pay could not take them anywhere.
Aremu, who called for review of the minimum wage, said that with inflation rate now at 18 per cent, Federal Government should find ways to increase workers’ pay “because we cannot fight corruption with poorly paid workers.
“In the United Kingdom, the review of minimum wage is quarterly, President Muhammadu Buhari should constitute a tripartite committee that will work on acceptable minimum wage.
“Government needs well paid workforce to tackle corruption. It should do all it takes
to ensure pay rise in 2017.’’
He said an increase in workers’ pay could turn the country’s economy around “because it is from the workers’ salaries that the different segments of the society draw their income as workers shop for food items and their other needs.’’
The labour leader then urged the unions trying to break away from the NLC to reconcile every disagreement with the NLC in order to proffer solution to workers’ plights, especially as it concerned the minimum wage.
According to him, the leadership of the NLC should accommodate and make the Congress more inclusive. (NAN)
BOL/FAK/HA
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Edited by Hadiza Mohammed-Aliyu