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N35, 000 Wage Award-Workers are only Relieved Psychologically-Member NASU NEC

MiniThe N35, 000 wage award recently announced by the Federal Government  has only relieved workers in Nigeria psychologically and not economically.

This assertion was made by a member of the National Executive Council(NEC) of the Non-Academic Staff Union and Associated Institutions(NASU), who is also the branch chairman of the union at the University College Hospital(UCH), Ibadan, Nigeria, Comrade Kehinde Abiona.

''The announcement has calmed frayed  nerves, but the government is yet to pay as at now. The review of CONHESS/CONMESS effectual from June 1st has not been implemented. The government says it has no funds. However, because of the N35, 000 wage award, workers were relieved psychologically, but economically the difficulties and hardships persist. We are yet to be paid the wage award because it did not reflect in our September salaries, Comrade Abiona stated.

In his view, a former Oyo state chairman of the NASU, Comrade Fatoki Olusola-Cole, insisted that the wage award was far below the expectations of workers, saying,'' the government says we should sacrifice, but the cost of governance is extremely high. The government has pushed Nigerians into the dungeons of poverty.''

''N35, 000 is grossly inadequate to cater for the needs of workers. We are suffering, workers accepted the award, hoping that it will go higher,'' Comrade Olusola-Cole stressed.

 

Federal Government of Nigeria Nigeria Labour Congress Trade Union Congress