The Leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, criticized state governors on Sunday for their refusal to accept the N60,000 minimum wage proposition, instead proposing N57,000 as the amount they are willing to approve.
Primate Ayodele stated that Nigerian governors are lacking in compassion and humanity for neglecting to enhance the livelihoods of workers, emphasizing that the proposed N57,000 is insufficient to address the country's prevailing hardships.
In a statement released by his Media Aide, Oluwatosin Osho, the prophet disclosed that the inadequate wages received by workers are a contributing factor to the persistent insecurity in various Nigerian states. He urged governors to reconsider the remuneration of workers instead of impeding efforts to enhance their living standards.
According to Ayodele, "The governors' offer of N57,000 as a minimum wage in the current circumstances is tantamount to penalizing workers due to the severe hardships in the country. The proposed amount is impractical, bearing in mind that the governors themselves would not accept such a paltry sum. While they allocate substantial payments to themselves and receive security votes, providing a meager minimum wage has become a contentious issue for them."
He added, "This situation is a contributory factor to the prevalence of insecurity in our states; when a security personnel is remunerated below expectations, they might resort to receiving funds from criminals to sustain themselves."
Ayodele further highlighted the need to reassess the salaries of workers, emphasizing that governors and politicians receive generous compensation. Although the governing officials are aware of the populace's suffering, it is regrettable that they are impeding efforts to ameliorate the situation.
Regarding the labor unions, Primate Ayodele censured their decision to disrupt the national grid as a form of protest against the minimum wage. He characterized this action as potentially endangering the lives of innocent Nigerians. In the future, he advised the unions to consider the potential repercussions of their actions during demonstrations.
The prophet remarked, "The shutdown of the national grid is wholly condemned; it has the potential to jeopardize the lives of innocent Nigerians. Unions should demonstrate their grievances without adversely affecting other Nigerians. The shutdown of the national grid had repercussions for innocent citizens."