The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) at its National Executive Council meeting has backed the demands of the organised labour of N250, 000 minimum wage been proposed to the federal government
The union also highlighted the need for the federal and state governments to agree with the living wage benchmark being proposed.
It explained that considering the current economic realities, the federal government’s proposed N62,000 minimum wage is insufficient to cover the basic expenses of many households.
It appealed to President Bola Tinubu and, by extension, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum to take the wage demand issue seriously and address it expeditiously.
NUJ President, Chris Isiguzo, made the appeal while speaking at the NUJ Quarterly National Executive Convention (NEC) in Ibadan on Friday.
Mr Isiguzo lamented that NUJ members working in government media houses were finding it difficult to put food on their table, hence the need for governments to effect the proposed N250,000 minimum wage proposed by the labour unions for workers.
He, however, appealed to the citizens to exercise more patience with the federal government for the implementation of the proposed minimum wage.
Mr Isiguzo also shed light on why journalists and governments were partners, stating that the constitution empowered journalists and indeed, the NUJ, to hold people in the corridor of powers accountable.
He said that the constitution allowed the Union to take a stand on various national issues such as insecurity, economic downturn, infrastructure, health, education, and ecology, among others.
“The point is that when we take a position on issues, we also communicate to the government, saying, Okay, look at our observations, and the government needs to do this and that, in cases where it has not done those things.”
On his part, the Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde, who was represented by the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Dotun Oyelade, told the journalists that the state government was open to solution-based ideas from anyone to ensure transparency and sustain democracy.
He said that the Union NEC meeting is part of what state governments believe in, for constructive criticism.
“We believe in Oyo State and will do whatever is necessary to make people’s lives easier. And journalists are there for us because they are grassroots people; they see where we cannot …, so they tell us to do it,” he added.
