What is the use of making an unenforceable minimum wage law? More than half of Nigeria’s thirty six states are already struggling to pay the current ₦30,000 minimum wage. It does not take a genius to know that if they are forced to pay ₦60,000, the Governors will have to engage in MASSIVE sacking. Only about eight states can fully survive on their own without federal allocations. Nigerians are notorious for not paying taxes. We have tax-to-GDP ratio of less than 10%. Even Ivory Coast has a higher tax-to-GDP ratio than we do. So, where will the states find the extra money for the new minimum wage? From Christ Embassy’s school of miracles?
Sadly, we, as Nigerians, can be very emotional. it is just like the current complaint in Southern Nigeria about the sudden rise in the price of pepper. And all we do is complain. Are we aware that if we go to the back of our houses and plant pepper seeds, they will grow, and in ninety days, we will have peppers to harvest and even to sell? No. It is to blame Tinubu. Meanwhile, and please fact-check me: almost 60% of the British population grow at least some of their vegetables at home. The percentage in the U.S. is 55%. But here in Nigeria, as soon as it rains, it is bedroom enjoyment we think of. Yet, we have more fertile land and much more sunshine than Britons or Americans.
Unless we allow the states to individually set their own minimum wages and allow the Federal Government set theirs, whatever new minimum wage we come up with will be defaulted on by more than half the states.
Oya, insult now. As if it is insult that will guarantee that you get paid a fair wage.
