Workers in Ondo State have called on Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa to immediately raise the state’s minimum wage from N73,000 to N256,950.
The demand was contained in a letter jointly signed by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) state chairman, Comrade Ademola Olapade, and secretary, Comrade Akin Sunday, and addressed to the governor.
The unions said the current wage no longer reflects the reality of Nigeria’s economic situation, pointing to the removal of fuel subsidy, inflation, and the soaring costs of food, housing, healthcare, and transportation.
“Workers are the engine of governance and economic productivity, while pensioners are citizens who have served with loyalty and deserve to live with dignity,” the letter read. “Governance must not only be about policies and projects but also about people’s welfare.”
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The workers also demanded an upward review of pensions for retirees in the state.
Citing examples from other states, the letter noted that Imo, which is not an oil-producing state, has begun paying a N104,000 minimum wage to both workers and pensioners.
“It is only just and reasonable that Ondo State, which is blessed with oil wealth and resource potential, does not lag behind but instead leads in setting progressive standards,” the NLC said, insisting that the state had the capacity to meet the proposed figure.
The unions urged Aiyedatiwa to immediately constitute a negotiation committee, stressing that wages must reflect “the current cost of survival for an average worker.”