A Chieftain of the New Nigeria People’s Party, (NNPP), Ambassador Olufemi Ajadi Oguntoyinbo has commended President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over additional N35,000 to salaries of Federal workers to cushion the effects of the subsidy removal on petroleum products.
He called on the various state governments to also replicate the increment to state workers’ salaries as according to him prices of commodities cannot differentiate between federal and state workers.
It could be recalled that President Tinubu has said ina nationwide broadcast as part of the programme of events marking Nigeria’s 63rd Independence anniversary celebration that for the next six months, an average low-grade worker shall receive an additional N25,000 per month increment in salaries.
But later Sunday night following meeting with Labour Leaders, he approved N35,000 provisional wage increment for all treasury – paid workers for the period of six months.
In a statement he personally signed and made available to journalists on Monday, Ajadi, who was the gubernatorial candidate of the NNPP in Ogun state in 2023 general elections commended the president for this new step he has taken to help the workers who he said are going through hardship presently.
Ajadi however said that the president can do more for the workers, saying the N35,000 increment is not enough as he said prices of commodities especially have gone up beyond the reach of the downtrodden.
He maintained that as democratically elected president the citizens are expecting this and more as part of dividends of democracy, noted that president should do more for the general masses.
He said that the additional N35, 000 should instead of six months be made permanent.
Ajadi also called on the 36 state governments in the country to do same for their workers , saying the markets cannot differentiate between federal and state workers.
According to the statement, “Let me commend the President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the additional N35, 000 to the salaries of Federal workers in the country.
“It shows that Tinubu is a listening President. But I want to say that he needs to do more . The prices of goods especially foodstuff have risen and it may continue to rise leaving the workers helpless .
“Mr President should note that food is essential and I think he realized this and that’s why he announced the food palliatives recently. He should therefore makes the increment permanent instead of six months.
“President Tinubu should also do more. He should increase the increment to possibly N50,000 monthly.
“Our workers deserve more and for them to survive, President Tinubu needs to do more for them. The reality today is that the additional N35,000 cannot sustain the workers.
“The state governments should also follow the federal government foot steps and let their workers survive this hard times. This is because the states and federal workers are going to be buying commodities in the same markets”.
