Former presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has called for urgent wage reviews and broad economic reforms in Nigeria, warning that worsening economic conditions continue to undermine the value of labour and deepen hardship for citizens.
In a statement marking Workers’ Day on his handle on Friday, Obi praised workers across various sectors, describing them as essential to national survival.
“Workers are the backbone of every nation,” he said, adding that Nigerian workers “continue to sustain our families, communities, institutions, and national economy, even in the face of severe hardship and uncertainty.”
He expressed concern over the declining value of wages amid rising inflation and living costs.
“It is deeply painful that those who wake up every day to teach, heal, build, farm, produce, transport, protect, and serve our nation are still denied the dignity and fair reward their labour deserves,” he said.
Obi warned that the current minimum wage is no longer sufficient for a decent standard of living.
“In today’s Nigeria, the minimum wage can no longer guarantee even the most modest standard of living, as inflation, rising food prices, transportation costs, and economic hardship continue to erode the value of honest work,” he noted.
Emphasising the importance of human capital, he added, “No nation can truly develop beyond the strength, productivity, and well-being of its workforce. When workers suffer, the nation suffers. When workers are empowered, the nation prospers.”
Beyond economic issues, Obi urged workers to actively participate in shaping governance through democratic means.
“They owe it to themselves, their children, and future generations to support and demand leadership built on competence, character, capacity, credibility, and compassion,” he said.
He concluded by calling for a fairer society rooted in justice and respect for labour, stating, “A productive nation must be built on justice, fairness, and respect for labour. That is the Nigeria we must work together to achieve.”
Punch / Tunmise Adesanmi
