Workers Are Poorly Paid In Nigeria, There Is No Need To Pretend – Laolu Akande

A former presidential media aide, Laolu Akande, has demanded better welfare packages and remuneration for Nigerian workers.

According to him, workers in both the public service and private sectors in Nigeria are poorly paid, and there is an urgent need to implement a living wage for workers in the country.

Speaking on Channels Television’s breakfast programme Sunrise Daily on Friday, Akande stressed that the annual Workers Day Celebration presents a good opportunity for the government to confront long-standing labour issues in Nigeria.

“Workers’ Day is not just a celebration. It’s a moment to reflect on what is missing in Nigeria’s labour system,” he said. “We don’t pay good remuneration at all.”

“Politicians will say the government is doing something. The private sector will pretend to pay decent salaries. Workers also pretend to be well paid. But the truth is, people are poorly paid in this country,” he stated.

The ex-presidential spokesman praised the recent government effort to improve judicial officers’ salaries but noted that the same effort must be put in place for other categories of workers in the country.

“What the government is doing to pay judges appropriately is a step forward. But that principle should be trickled down to all workers,” he said.

Naijaonpoint reports that Akande also called for the implementation of wages that can allow people to live a decent life.

“You have to pay people a true living wage,” he said. “It shouldn’t be reduced to a conjecture of whether it’s enough or not. There should be a way to measure what is decent and allows people to live a basic life.

“This is not just about salaries. It’s about restoring dignity to the workforce. When people are properly paid and respected, productivity improves, and so does national morale,” he said.