Date: 2018-02-26

A Frontline Labour leader in Nigeria , Comrade Issa Obalowu Aremu has called for an increase in the salary of all categories of workers in the country as a way out of the nation's present economic recovery.

Comrade Aremu who is a board member of the recently constituted Nigeria Salaries , Incomes and Wages Commission made the call in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital while responding to questions on a Radio Kwara personality interview programme, Playing Host.

Comrade Aremu lamented that inflation had eroded the nation's economy due to devaluation of the Naira and stressed the need for every Nigerian worker to be encouraged through their unions to negotiate for more wage increase.

The Labour Leader who is also the General Secretary, National Union of Textile Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria urged Nigerian workers to mount pressure on the commission set up by President Muhammadu Buhari on wages to meet the seven months deadline given to them by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to conclude negotiation on an increase in the minimum wage this year.

He expressed surprise with the salaries being paid to workers of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC ) and wondered how they could fight corruption with such a meager wage.

On the issue of petroleum crisis the nation is currently facing, Comrade Aremu lamented and expressed regret and shame that no single refinery is presently functioning in the country despite the fact that Nigeria is an oil producing country and called on government to quickly address the issue.

He called on Nigerians to hold the federal government accountable for the fuel problem and scarcity the country is now facing because the present administration had promised that by 2018, the nation would reduce importation by seventy percent all refineries are not working.

According to him, all subsequent governments since the regime of Former President Ibrahim Babangida including the present administration had made it a practice to increase the pump price of fuel which invariably had led to increase in transport fare and even now , the product is no longer available thereby affecting the real wages of Nigerian workers.

The Labour regretted that he was not really excited about NLC at forty interns of the welfare of Nigerian workers which has been erode not because of lack of efforts by the unions but because of bad governance and lack of stable micro economic policies , inflation and devaluation of our currency.

Comrade Aremu therefore called on the leadership of NLC in the future to be more concerned about the quality of government that is ruling the country apart from concentrating on wage increase and job creation.