The Nigerian Workers Group (NWG) has called for a cut in the working hours for civil servants in the country.
Kayode Ehindero, president of the group, made the call in Ilorin on Monday. He said that the new minimum wage ought to be paid for a maximum of four hours of productive work rather than eight hours.
He said that the cut would enable workers to utilise their time to pursue other ventures, augment their finances to meet their economic needs and alleviate the burden of inflation.
Read also: 134% increase in minimum wage set to face hurdles in states
“NWG is disappointed over the newly announced minimum wage of N70,000 by President Bola Tinubu.
“This amount is inadequate and fails to meet the basic needs of the Nigerian working class,” he said.
According to him, in light of the country’s harsh economic reality and skyrocketing inflation, the NWG demands a more reasonable approach.
“We call on the presidents of labour centres and labour unions to shift their focus from merely increasing wages to reducing working hours.
“The new minimum wage should be paid for 4 hours of productive work, not the standard eight hours,” Ehindero said.
He also said that the workers deserved a better deal, adding that “the government needs to prioritise their welfare.
He, therefore, urged the government and labour leaders to reconsider the approach and work together to improve the livelihoods of the workers. NAN
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