The Spokesperson to the former president Goodluck Jonathan, Reno Omokri has blasted the Labour leader, Joe Ajaero and condemned the national strike embarked upon by the Nigerian Labour Congress, saying their request which is the reason for the industrial action is very unrealistic.
It will be recalled that the Labour Congress began a nationwide industrial action today Monday 3rd June as a result of the disagreement with the federal government over the minimum wage for Nigerian labours. While the present minimum wage is #30,000 Naira, the Labour is seeking for #494,000 which is more than sixteen times of the present minimum wage.
According to a remark by Omokri, the new figure agitated for by the union is too unrealistic and does not make any overall economic sense for Nigeria and it's citizens as the request is capable of making the Nigerian economic experience huge inflation that has never been experienced before.
"₦494,000 is more than sixteen times the current minimum wage of ₦30,000. If the Federal Government accepts that as the new minimum wage, and Nigeria's production capacity does not also increase times sixteen, it will lead to the mother of all inflation that will destroy the Nigerian economy and turn us into Zimbabwe and Venezuela.
This according to him will cause prices of goods and services to skyrocket as manufacturers and service providers will have to increase prices to meet up with the increased amount of salary paid to their manpower.
"If producers of goods and services, like Dangote, Indomie, Nestle, Flour Mills of Nigeria, Glo, petrol stations, etc, have to pay their staff a minimum of ₦494,000, what do you think they will charge for their products? You, as a worker, will be jumping from frying pan to fire!
Omokri then lambasted AJAERO and the union for their lack of simple economic sense for making such an outrageous demand on the government of Nigeria. He also added that they are politically motivated as it seems they are playing the dictate of the Labour Party Presidential Candidate in the last general election, Peter Obi. This according to him is because the Nigerian Labour union that is expected to eschew partisan politics had gone ahead to endorse the candidacy of Peter Obi during the 2023 Presidential election.
"Joel Ajaero and his gang are not economists, and worse still, they are supporters of Peter Obi. They endorsed him during the election. They campaigned for him. They defended him. Please assume I am a liar and fact-check me.
They are fighting a proxy war for Peter Obi. Obviously, the 2027 election is affecting their direction. They do not have an economic agenda. They have a political objective.
He concluded by saying that if the request of the Ajaero-led labour union is granted. The generality of the Labour and the masses will be the ones to suffer for it.
"If the Federal Government should give in to their outrageous demands, it is you who will suffer. Ajaeeo is not poor. He has money. He travels abroad in style. He can relocate his family. It is you and your family that will bear the brunt of this politician in labour union clothes.
Meanwhile, a comparison of the present minimum wage in Nigeria with other oil producing nations, especially in Nigeria shows that the present minimum wage in the country is not the least. Although, this does not mean it can't be reviewed.
