Some Federal Government workers have appealed to the Minimum Wage Review Committee to design a Bulk Rent Allowance for workers to be paid at the end/beginning of every year.

The workers made their position known in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Zaria, Kaduna State.

They said such a move would not only solve the accommodation constraints of civil servants but would also put a smile on the faces of Nigerian workers following the monetisation government houses or staff quarters.

Malam Abdur-Rahman Abdur-Rahman, a federal civil servant, who refused to disclosed his ministry or parastatal, observed that majority of civil servants were living in rented houses.

“Majority of us are living in rented apartments. No civil servant in Nigeria can boast of building a befitting house from his monthly salary, except the lucky few with jumbo salary.

“This is because the daily demands have far outweighed the take-home pay which appeared to be very little couple with inflationary trends.

“The so called meager amount being paid as salary in Nigeria is as good as being slashed by government, especially with increase in pump price of petroleum without commensurate increase in the salaries,” he said.

In his contribution, Alhaji Hamisu Halliru, also a federal civil servant, said separating rent from monthly salary would ease the workers’ burden of running up and down at the end of the year scouting for money to settle landlords.

This, according to him, would give the civil servants rest of mind, apart from developing confidence and courage in their minds which will in turn lead to a productive civil service.

“My appeal to the committee is to ensure that this is included in the ongoing negotiation, while government must ensure that it is implemented religiously.

“This will serve as a relief to the Nigerian workers. Because, once a worker is free from being harassed by landlords, his/her mind will be at peace to put in his/her best toward maximum productivity.

“To make it easy, let government design a time table for annual payment of bulk rent, so that each month of the year will be for some particular ministries, parastatals or agencies,” he said

Another federal civil servant in Zaria, Malam Abubakar Ibrahim, advised the committee to look into the possibility of making provision for “four full tanks” as transport allowance per month for field-workers on grade level 12 and above.

“This provision should be made to workers who are permanently on the field, for example journalists, they always move around scouting for news.

“This will certainly motivate the field workers to be proactive in discharging their legitimate duties. Of course, one full tank per week is enough to cater for shuttling within a particular area,” he said.

Mr Shu’aibu Ibrahim, also a federal civil servant, urged the committee to seek inputs from ordinary workers so as to ensure that the new minimum wage reflects the current economic realities in the country.

He said such an input would give the entire workers a sense of belonging as they contribute to what actually affects their livelihood.

On her part, Hajiya Maryam Bala-Bello blamed government officials for wrongly advising President Muhammdu Buhari to delay the new minimum wage implementation till end of the year.

“Remember, according to the law, the minimum wage was supposed to be reviewed upward after every five years, it was last reviewed in 2009 and should have been reviewed in 2015 but now we are in 2018.

“Yet, some cliques who don’t mean well for Nigerian workers advised the president to delay it till end of the year, so as to be used for 2019 campaign.

“Enough is enough, Nigerian workers are pushed to the wall, we understand that those in position of authority are the problem of workers not government,” she noted.

NAN recalls that the Minister of Labour and Productivity, Dr Chris Ngige, had last month in Edo assured Nigerian workers that the implementation of new minimum wage in the country was curtained.

The minister said the Minimum Wage Review Committee, with him as Deputy Chairman, had already started its work and it would submit final report in the third quarter of the year to the National Assembly for due consideration. (NAN)

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