Bishop Ezeokafor Says N62,000 Not Enough, Urges Slash In Cost Of Governance
Most Revd Paulinus Ezeokafor, the Catholic Bishop of Awka Diocese, has said that the N62,000 minimum wage offered by the Federal Government of Nigeria is inadequate and cannot support the worker under current economic realities.
Ezeokafor said this in an interview in Awka on Wednesday.
He expressed worry over what he described as protracted negotiations over minimum wage between the Federal Government and organised
The Catholic Bishop said the minimum wage for workers should be at least N100,000 in the light of the current cost of living in Nigeria.
He said there was enough resources to take care of the needs of Nigerian but ostentatious lifestyles and high cost of governance were making it look like a living minimum wage was not feasible.
“ If things are handled better, we will be able to meet the demands of the workers. I am so worried about the happenings. I really want this country to move forward.
‘It is unfortunate to hear about the debates. They go through stages. They met and proposed N30, 000; then N48, 000 and from there to N62, 000.
“To me, N100, 000 is not even enough, looking at how some persons siphon money meant for every Nigerian, watching how the national cake is being shared by these people will make you shudder.
‘Let us look at the N62, 000 proposal, from there the worker will take care of his health, transportation, accommodation, feeding and everything about life per month and one month is 30 days on the average.
“It means about N2, 000 per day and you go to the market to buy his basic needs, I am not even talking about the prevailing N30, 000,” he said.
Ezeokafor it was regrettable that Nigerians are living in a very highly blessed country but are suffering because of systemic inequality between the government and the masses.
He said accommodation had become a problem as the cost of an apartment had skyrocketed while building a house was now a tall dream for the average Nigerian.
According to him, if we do not care, if we do not do what we are supposed to do, we may end up putting this country into serious chaos.
“People are hungry and lack basic things. Nigeria is so blessed with natural resources but, unfortunately, some people are putting things into their pockets alone and they consider it as their birthright at the expense of the members of Nigeria Society.
“If they are looking for where to source the money from, they should slash the National Assembly members’ jumbo salaries, the governors’ and the federal government’s salaries and emoluments itself.
Cut down the cost of governance. Use the money to settle workers and poor Nigerians, what extra job are they doing to warrant such jumbo salaries?
“Let the government cut down the cost of running the governance and stop debating about N62, 000 while they are going home with N30 million monthly,” he said.
