Despite N70,000 minimum wage, High cost of transportation forcing many Workers out of jobs

……As Govt takes new Step to tackle challenges.

The various changes in government policies have continued to tell on Nigerians especially the recent increase in fuel pump prices across the country.

This year alone, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has adjusted petrol pump prices upwards twice from N617 to N855, N950 in Lagos state (depending on the fuel station) and above N1,000 in other states within two weeks in September.

Despite these changes, which have tremendously affected market prices and the cost of transportation, Nigerians have devised various means ofDespite N70,000 minimum wage, High cost of transportation forcing many Workers out of jobs survival.

But the recent increase has not gone down well with some Nigerian workers’ Economy& Lifestyle discovered.

This has made them resort to resigning from their jobs or sleeping in their workplace to cut costs as they can no longer meet up with the increased cost of transportation which is digging deep into their salaries.

Mr. Dotun Owoyemi, who works on the Island and receives a five-figure Salary lamented: “I live on the mainland and work on the Island.

“Before now, I spent N800 to and fro my workplace. Now, I spend N2,500 to N3,000 daily.

“Those commercial bus drivers are not helping matters at all either.

“A destination of N200 fare, they increased it to N500. That of N100 to N300.

“I earn just a five-figure salary and spend almost half of my monthly salary on transportation alone.
“This is not funny at all. I had to resign from work because this N70,000 minimum wage is not functioning in all private organizations truth be told.

“This fuel price increase pays a few people not salary earners.
“If you visit the market today, you will marvel at the negative effect of this new policy on the prices of goods.

“Many businesses have tagged the cost of fuel to the recent increase in the price of goods and services.
“I am still looking for a job on the mainland that is close to my house and will spend less transport fare compared to my previous workplace.”

Miss. Sandra Douglas said:”I’ve resigned already. I live around Elelonwo in Port Harcourt and was working at King Perekule, GRA. I spent N52,000 for transportation in a month for a job whose salary was not up to N100,000.

“I was working but couldn’t feed myself.”

For Mrs. Dorcas Chukwuma, a midwife who works in Marina, “I worked as a midwife in one of the private hospitals in Marina but resigned recently due to the high cost of transportation. I was not the only one in my workplace that resigned. There were four of us.

“Living on the mainland and working on the Island is not easy at all, especially now that the cost of transportation has tripled.

“The cost of food and services has also followed.

“I just had to source for another hospital on the mainland where I can work and spend less transport fare instead of spending all my salaries on transportation just to work on the Island.

“It is a pity that the government when introducing policies doesn’t consider the masses. “This fuel price increase has introduced more poverty in the country.

“We were complaining that people are suffering, now husband’s will no longer go home to their family daily because they have to cut costs, young and old will have to come out of their houses to beg because those relatives giving them can hardly fend for themselves.

“We don’t even know our destination as a country anymore. Our government has failed us.”

Apart from resigning from jobs, Mr. Tunde Ayeni, who works in Lekki said he now sleeps in the office during the week and returns home on Fridays to cut transportation costs.

“I work in Lekki and live in Abule Ado. Within two weeks of the increased fuel price, my transportation fare grew from N2,000 a day to N4,000.

“I don’t receive up to N100,000 salary in a month.

“So I started sleeping in the office on weekdays and going back home on weekends.

“It is so ridiculous because these private companies are also struggling to survive and cannot increase salaries.

“If private companies implement the so-called N70,000 minimum wage, many employees will lose their jobs.
“Except for companies that are resilient to all the effects of these economic policies which I doubt are in existence.”

STATE HOUSE PRESS RELEASE

FG HANDS OVER 64 CNG BUSES TO LABOUR UNIONS, NANS

The Federal Government has handed over 64 Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses to representatives of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), and the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS).

When deployed for commuter service, the buses will significantly reduce transportation costs in the country, bringing hope for a more affordable and efficient public transport system.

The handover of the buses took place on Sunday at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja, as part of activities marking Nigeria’s 64th independence anniversary.

The Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, Wale Edun, led the government delegation that included the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Abubakar Bagudu, and the Minister of State for Youth Development, Ayodele Olawande.

Edun described the distribution of the buses as fulfilling President Bola Tinubu’s promise to provide affordable and efficient transportation to support Nigerians after the removal of fuel subsidies under the Presidential Initiative on Compressed Natural Gas (PCNGi).

He emphasised that this initiative aims to alleviate the burden on the poor and vulnerable and support macroeconomic reforms that would position the country on the path to economic stability.

The Minister further explained that the symbolic handover of 64 buses on the eve of Nigeria’s National Day marks the beginning of a broader national rollout, with the plan to distribute over 500 CNG buses and 100 electric vehicles in the first instance.

He added that the CNG initiative aligns with Nigeria’s commitment to cleaner energy while leveraging its energy resources for industrialisation.

”Today marks another critical milestone in the policies of President Tinubu. It is a transition to cleaner fuel. It is for Nigerians. The emphasis is on mass transit. The minister said there is an emphasis on intervening on the side of workers so that they have cheaper transport to cope with rising prices.

He also highlighted the CNG initiative’s impact on inflation, saying:

”We’ve had an initial spike in inflation, now it has peaked, and it is coming down. Mr President and the whole team are determined to ensure that we keep inflation coming down, and this is one of the major ways.”

The Coordinating Minister of the Economy noted that the fuel cost for CNG-powered vehicles is about one-third of the fuel for petrol-powered vehicles.

He said motorists can now pay as low as N15,000 to fill a tank instead of N50,000 or more.

”Today, it is CNG. Tomorrow, it will be helping farmers to cope with the remainder of the wet season planting and then the dry season planting, starting from November, with fertiliser, inputs, seeds, and herbicides.

”This is all to get prices down and get the economy moving again, ” he said.

The Secretary-General and Chief Executive of TUC, Comrade Nuhu Toro; NANS president, Comrade Lucky Emonefe; and the Head of International Desk, NLC, Comrade Uche Ekwe, commended President Tinubu for the gesture. They called for more CNG buses to be made available to the public.

Toro thanked the President for implementing the N70,000 new national minimum wage.

”This move is a significant step in alleviating the economic burden of Nigerian workers.

NANS president Comrade Emonefe praised the government for its commitment to education and student welfare, citing the provision of a student loan scheme for higher education.

“Nigerian students are happy to be celebrating the 64th anniversary of independence. We are not only happy with the CNG buses; we believe that the current President loves the welfare of students and has shown his commitment to this.

The NLC representative noted that the benefits of the CNG buses would become more apparent once more buses are deployed across the country.

”If we get more buses, the effect will translate immediately to Nigerians. If people start entering these buses, they will publicise it in the public and their neighbourhood,” he said.

Michael Oluwagbemi, Programme Director/Chief Executive of PCNGi, said that since its establishment one year ago, over 125 conversion centres have been established, compared to the initial seven.

He said investment in the sector has exceeded $175 million, with 12 new mother stations commissioned and 75 more under construction.

Technician training is being ramped up, with 40 new technicians trained weekly. Over 34,000 conversion kits have been ordered, with more than half already distributed.

He said vehicle conversions are taking place at 53 centres in eight states.

He said the centres would be expanded to all the 36 states and the FCT.

Bayo Onanuga

Special Adviser to the President

(Information & Strategy)

September 29, 2024