FOBTOB tasks advisory panel on urgent implementation of new minimum wage

The national body of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Senior Staff Association (FOBTOB), has charged the newly inaugurated technical advisory committee on national minimum wage to ensure speedy implementation of the N30,000 for Nigerian workers.

In a congratulatory letter to the chair of the advisory committee, Bismarck Rewane, the association bemoaned the slow pace at which the implementation of the new wage is going, considering the rate of inflation that has moved to double digits, which the group said is a pointer that the value of Naira has depreciated to the extent that Nigerian workers cannot afford the essentials of life.

The National President, FOBTOB, Quadri Olaleye, also charged Rewane to use his new appointment to strengthen the union’s relationship with the government, while looking forward to a quick signing into law of the minimum wage bill by President Buhari.

Emphasising that the essence of governance is to make life better for the citizens, Olaleye also noted that an upward review of the new wage from its current N18,000 to N30,000 as negotiated by the tripartite committee will go a long way to reduce the untold hardship presently facing Nigerian workers.

The statement added: “You would agree with me that the current minimum wage of N18,000 cannot meet the needs of an average Nigerian worker, and the fact that some States Government are still owing backlog of salaries and other allowances has further pauperised the affected workers.

“However, going by your achievements as an economist, we are optimistic that your assumption of office as the chairman of the technical advisory committee would provide an avenue for all the previous committee reports to be adopted so as to present positions that will aid the passage of the minimum wage bill.”