The President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Mr Bobboi Kaigama, has reacted to the new minimum wage recently signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Kaigama who appeared on Lunchtime Politics which aired on Channels Television on Friday said that states can meet up with the N30,000 monthly payment for the Nigerian workers if the right priorities are placed.

“We are pretty sure (that) they (states) have the political, economic will except for the fact that corruption has eaten deep into the fabrics of the state systems.

“So it will interest you to know that pin the just concluded governorship elections, so many of these states had reserved money to go out, buy voters, compromise electoral officers, compromise security (personnel) and that is why in most of the states now, they cannot pay salaries,” he stated.

He also decried a situation whereby some governors said to be owing workers’ salaries would still source for loans, hence plunging the states into more debts.

When asked if the increase in the minimum wage would not lead to inflation and further devaluation of the nation’s currency, the TUC president stated that prices of commodities were already on the increase.

He, however, noted that if the situation deteriorates to the point that the workers cannot meet his basic needs, agitations would come up for another salary review.

“We already have inflation; we already have a devaluation of our naira. So it’s already taking a toll on the worker’s take home.

“Unless we allow it to go to the extent of the worker not even taking a single square meal, otherwise where we have inflation, devalued naira, the worker has the right to demand a corresponding increase in his salaries,” he stated.

•Sourced from Channels TV report

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