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NLC Rejects Politicians’ Salary Increase, Demands Fair Pay for Struggling Nigerian Workers
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has kicked against the move by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) to review and increase the salaries of political officeholders.
In a statement by its president, Joe Ajaero, the NLC described the proposal as unfair and insensitive, especially at a time when millions of Nigerians are battling economic hardship. Ajaero argued that the pay gap between politicians and ordinary workers is already too wide, and any further increase would only worsen inequality.
He pointed out that while politicians have enjoyed massive pay raises over the years, civil servants have been left behind with very little adjustments. According to him, the ₦70,000 minimum wage is still a struggle for many workers, yet those in government circles continue to enjoy not just fat salaries but also huge allowances and hidden perks.
The labour leader insisted that RMAFC must explain the criteria it used to justify such a proposal and make public the full details of what political officeholders currently earn. He warned that pushing through with the plan could spark serious unrest, describing it as a ticking time bomb that could lead to a “tsunami” of resistance.
The criticism has not only come from the NLC. Rights group SERAP has also asked President Bola Tinubu to reject the proposal, calling it unconstitutional and morally wrong. The group noted that raising political pay while public services are crumbling and citizens are sinking deeper into poverty shows a lack of accountability and fairness in governance.
TV anchor Rufai Oseni makes headlines as he speaks on fuel subsidy in Nigeria. He shared that Nigeria can have fuel subsidy without the long queues at filling stations.
“When we were still paying subsidies, there were no long queues. We were subsidising. So you can still have a subsidy regime going on, and there will be no long queues because production was close by. Dangote had it. That’s just it. That argument also falls flat.
“The biggest beneficiaries of subsidy are not Nigerians. They are crony capitalists that have big infrastructure, and they do contracts. They have been the biggest beneficiaries of the subsidy,” he said.
Lagos State Governor, Sanwo-Olu, speaks to those in the electricity sector about the usual blackouts in the state.
He speaks on ways things can change in the state and how electricity can be provided.
“We need to drop corporate egos, abandon long-standing excuses, and confront the harsh realities obstructing progress in the power sector.”
“We, state governments, used to give excuses that everything is centralised, so the Federal Government has unbundled it now. What have we done in a year and a half?” Sanwo-Olu asked.
“We take two steps forward, we go five steps backward,” he said.
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has declared Thursday, August 20, a work-free day for public servants in the state to mark the Isese Festival.
Speaking on the celebration, he said “Ìṣẹ̀ṣe is not a relic. It is a living expression of our traditions and a celebration of Yoruba spirituality as an important part of Nigeria’s cultural and religious landscape,” he said.
He added “When the drums sound in Lagos on Thursday, they answer drums in Havana, in Salvador, in Port of Spain. Fifty-five million people and counting. Lagos is not observing a local holiday. Lagos is standing at the centre of a global heritage,” Aregbe said.
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