Peter Obi, a former presidential candidate, has called for urgent wage reviews and broad economic reforms in Nigeria.
He warned that the value of labour is still undermined and the hardship faced by citizens further aggravated by deteriorating economic conditions.
Obi, in a statement on his handle on Friday to mark Workers’ Day, commended workers in various sectors, describing them as the key to national survival.
“Workers are the backbone of every nation,” he said, pointing out that Nigerian workers “continue to sustain our families, communities, institutions and national economy, even in the face of severe hardship and uncertainty.”
He worried about wages losing value with inflation and the rising cost of living.
“It is deeply painful that those who rise each day to teach, heal, build, farm, produce, transport, protect and serve our nation are still denied the dignity and fair reward their labour deserves,” he said.
Obi warned that the current minimum wage is no longer enough to live a decent life.
“The minimum wage can no longer afford the barest minimum of living in the present-day Nigeria, as inflation, increased cost of food, transportation and economic hardship continue to erode the value of honest work,” he noted.
He stressed the importance of human capital. “No nation can truly advance beyond the abilities, productivity and welfare of its workforce, he said. When workers get hurt, the country gets hurt. “Empower the workers and the nation thrives.”
“Governance is not only about economic issues alone, Obi called on workers to be actively involved in contributing to the democratic process of governance.
“They owe it to themselves, to their children, to their children’s children to support and demand leadership that is based on competence, character, capacity, credibility and compassion,” he said.
He concluded by calling for a “fairer society, based on justice, on respect for labour” “A productive nation must be built on justice, fairness and respect for labour. This is the Nigeria we must work together to build.”
