Ali Ndume, a former Chief Whip of the Senate, has voiced strong criticism against the new ₦70,000 minimum wage approved by the Nigerian Federal Government.
Ndume, who was recently removed from his position due to his outspoken comments against President Bola Tinubu’s administration, expressed his concerns during a video posted by Channels Television.
During a meeting at the State House on Wednesday, President Tinubu, along with leaders from the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), agreed on implementing the new ₦70,000 minimum wage.
Despite this agreement, Ndume is adamant that the amount is insufficient to meet the basic needs of Nigerian workers.
Ndume highlighted that the ₦70,000 minimum wage is roughly equivalent to the price of a 50kg bag of rice, which currently sells for over ₦70,000.
He stated, “People are suffering, people are angry, people are not happy. I am happy that yesterday, the President agreed with NLC to increase the salary to ₦70,000, which is a good move, but it takes more than that because, realistically, that is like a bag of rice, money that will buy a bag of rice or cover the cost of a bag of rice. So, I call on the president to still open up and listen to the people.”
Ndume’s remarks reflect his belief that the current wage increase is insufficient to alleviate the economic struggles faced by many Nigerians. He urged President Tinubu to reconsider and further increase the minimum wage to better support workers and their families.
His comments come in the wake of his dismissal from the role of Senate Chief Whip. This dismissal followed a recommendation from the All Progressives Congress (APC) national chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, and the party’s national secretary, Basiru Ajibola.
They cited an interview in which Ndume criticized the Tinubu administration, leading to their suggestion that he be removed from his position.
