By Charles Adingupu
There are strong indications that the federal government is cash strapped and may not be able to pay workers’ salaries beyond the month of June 2023 except if it resorts to massive printing of Naira notes, the nation’s currency or remove petroleum subsidy.
Edo state Governor, Godwin Obaseki who dropped this hint during the workers’ Day celebration in Benin, the state capital, urged Nigerians and workers in particular to brace up for the hard time ahead.
Obaseki noted in dismay that whichever available options the government decides to adopt, would exposed Nigerians to unbearable hardships.
“We must all make sure that the burden and pain of these measures, which must be taken, are not carried alone by workers.
“Workers must now rise and ensure that they champion any discussion on subsidy removal. You must shift from the tradition of reacting when these policies have been made but insist that you take charge, and ensure full transparency and disclosure. If we are all undertaking a reform, then, the benefits and pains that will come out of the reforms must be mutually shared by all Nigerians, not just the downtrodden,” the Governor stated.
He said that when the Edo state government announced the increment of the minimum wage to N40,000 in 2022, he expected the federal government and other states government to emulate the benevolence but noted in dismay that the revise was the case.
“My promise to Edo workers here today is that the day the federal government is able to pay its new minimum wage, and hand over a cheque to any federal worker, that day, we will match the federal government and do the same for state workers,” he said.
“As your governor, I will ensure that workers are fairly treated so that your take-home pay can really take you home. Our government has kept faith with prompt and regular payment of workers’ salaries and retirees’ benefits in the State in the last six years.
“As a tradition, salaries are paid latest on the 26th day of every month, and for any holiday celebrations, our workers are paid before the celebration so that they have money to celebrate.”
It would be recalled that the federal government had announced that Nigeria spent about N2.04 trillion to offset subsidy payments in seven months, even as it plans to spend about N6 trillion on subsidy in 2023.
The humongous amount of money being paid as subsidy, prompted the federal government initiate move to stop the payment.
But midway into the actualization of the subsidy removal arrangements, the federal government backslided, and announced it’s suspension.
