Minimum wage: Cut salaries of govt officials by 50% — Nwanyanwu tells Tinubu

National chairman of Zenith Labor Party (ZLP), Dan Nwanyanwu, has asked President Bola Tinubu to urgently reduce the cost of governance.

Nwanyanwu urged the president to sign an executive order to slash the earnings of elected officials and government appointees by 50% to 80%.

He tasked Tinubu to adopt measures similar to those implemented by former military President Ibrahim Babangida to alleviate the hardships faced by Nigerian workers.

Addressing a press conference in Abuja on Sunday, Nwanyanwu, noted the disparity between the lavish earnings of a few and the economic struggles of the masses.

The ZLP chairman said that those aspiring to serve as lawmakers should have their own means of transportation and accommodation in Abuja and not depend on the government.

He stressed that many Nigerians are willing to serve without such costly provisions.

Nwanyanwu stressed the urgency of addressing workers’ needs and reducing governmental expenses to foster a more equitable and sustainable economic environment in Nigeria.

Reflecting on historical precedents, he recalled that during Babangida’s tenure, the government provided 100 buses to the Nigerian labour force and allocated 100 million naira to key states.

“These initiatives, along with other schemes, were distributed across the federation to ease transportation difficulties and mitigate the impact of the Structural Adjustment Program (SAP),” he added.

Nwanyanwu also recalled the mass housing projects initiated by former President Shehu Shagari, which benefited millions of civil servants and workers nationwide.

According to him, workers’ needs extend beyond salary increases to include housing, education, health, and transportation. He therefore urged labour leaders to consider these aspects in their negotiations.

He also appealed to Tinubu to provide buses for workers at the local level, just as he stressed the need to avoid another strike by the organised labour.