30 December 2015, Sweetcrude, Abuja – The National Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE, which is pushing for the review of the N18,000 minimum wage being paid to workers in the country to N54,000, says the Federal Government can pay that amount if it could reduce wastage in the system.
NUEE said the review of the “slave wage is long overdue”, urging the workers to close ranks and demand for N54,000 as new minimum wage.
Immediate past President of the union, Comrade Mansur Muhammed Musa, argued that it is only when this is done that workers would put in their best.
He noted, “If we can reduce the areas of wastage, we won’t have problems. Go to any of the Government Houses, nobody drives a Golf car; they are all driving jeeps.
“Look at the convoy of governors when they are going from one place to another; look at the cost of fuel for their vehicles, personnel, and other allowances; you can go on and on and on.
“We are not even asking them to pay only N18,000 minimum wage now or sustain the payment of N18,000, we are asking for a review from N18,000 to about N54,000 or N60,000 as minimum wage.”
Comrade Musa said with the upward review, a worker can manage to go to work, take care of his children, feed them, pay their school fees so, he can now concentrate on the job.
“The worker’s productivity will be better and there won’t be corruption; it will bring down corruption to the lowest level,” he added.