NLC Makes Fresh Demand Over Tinubu’s N70,000 Allowance

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Kaduna State Council, has called on the Federal Government to consider a fresh minimum wage of N500,000, arguing that the proposed N70,000 monthly transport allowance for workers will not adequately address the rising cost of living in Nigeria.

The labour union said the additional payment would provide some relief to civil servants but insisted that it was not enough to address the financial difficulties facing millions of Nigerian workers.

The demand followed comments by former NLC President and Senator representing Edo North, Adams Oshiomhole, who defended the Federal Government’s decision to introduce the N70,000 monthly transport support.

Oshiomhole had expressed support for the initiative during an appearance on Channels Television’s Politics Today programme on Thursday.

The former labour leader argued that the additional payment represented a significant improvement in workers’ earnings, particularly for those receiving the national minimum wage.

He maintained that the initiative showed President Bola Tinubu’s administration was making efforts to improve workers’ welfare despite the economic challenges confronting the country.

“I think this government is doing well. If a man who was on N70,000 now is given N70,000 addition, that makes it N140,000 for him; it’s a hundred percent increase, and if you know what N10,000 means for the real masses, you’ll appreciate that Tinubu has shown that he cares,” Oshiomhole said.

However, the Kaduna State chapter of the NLC has offered a different assessment of the proposed allowance, insisting that the additional money should not be presented as a lasting solution to workers’ economic challenges.

The state chairman, Comrade Ayuba Magaji Suleiman, acknowledged that the transport support was a positive intervention but maintained that its impact would be limited if the government failed to address the broader economic problems affecting households.

Suleiman explained that Nigerian workers were dealing with increasing financial responsibilities, many of which had become difficult to manage with their current earnings.

He identified the rising prices of food, transportation, accommodation, education, healthcare, electricity and cooking gas as some of the major expenses putting pressure on workers’ incomes.

According to him, the situation has made it increasingly difficult for ordinary employees to meet their daily needs, even when they receive additional payments from their employers or the government.

The labour leader argued that the N70,000 transport allowance should be viewed as temporary assistance rather than an indication that workers’ financial problems had been resolved.

He also questioned the adequacy of the proposed payment when considered alongside the actual expenses faced by workers across different parts of the country.

Providing a breakdown of the expected monthly earnings, Suleiman explained that a worker receiving the N70,000 national minimum wage would have a total monthly income of N170,000 when the other payments were included.

The figure consists of the N70,000 minimum wage, a N30,000 monthly wage award and the newly proposed N70,000 transport allowance.

Although the combined amount represents an increase in workers’ monthly earnings, the Kaduna NLC chairman maintained that it would still fall short of what many employees require to maintain a reasonable standard of living.

He argued that wage negotiations should reflect the current economic realities rather than rely on figures that may quickly lose their value as prices continue to rise.

Suleiman therefore called for discussions on another minimum wage adjustment, suggesting that negotiations should begin at N500,000.

He maintained that any meaningful wage review must take into account the actual cost of feeding, housing, transporting and providing basic necessities for workers and their families.

The demand comes amid continuing concerns over the purchasing power of Nigerian workers following increases in the prices of essential goods and services.

Since the removal of the petrol subsidy and subsequent adjustments in the country’s economic policies, transportation and other household expenses have remained major concerns for many families.

For workers who depend largely on monthly salaries, increases in the cost of basic necessities have created additional pressure on household budgets.

The Kaduna NLC leadership maintained that salary adjustments alone would not provide a complete solution unless the government also introduced policies capable of reducing the cost of living.

Suleiman urged the Federal Government and state governments to consider measures that would make essential services more affordable.

He specifically called for cheaper public transportation and other forms of assistance that could reduce the amount workers spend on their daily movement and household needs.

The union also wants governments to address the wider economic conditions responsible for the continuous increase in the prices of goods and services.