Comrade Timi Frank, the former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has made a strong appeal to the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC). On Friday, he urged the labor unions to dismiss any minimum wage proposal from the Federal Government that is below N250,000 per month.

Reacting to the alleged offer of N105,000 by the government during the tripartite negotiations, Frank stated that anything less than N250,000 would not be a decent wage for Nigerian workers, especially considering the current economic hardships. He emphasized that the proposed increase for judicial office holders by 300% starkly contrasts with the “starvation wage” offered to workers.

In his statement from Abuja, Frank accused President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration of practicing double standards in salary fixing. He pointed out the swift passage of a bill proposing hefty salary increases for judicial office holders, which is now awaiting presidential assent to become law.

Frank, who also serves as the Ambassador for the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) to East Africa and the Middle East, questioned the government’s priorities. He suggested that the executive, legislative, and judicial arms should consider reducing their salaries to support a fair wage for the workers.

Moreover, Frank insinuated that the proposed salary increments for judicial office holders might be a reward for their role in maintaining the current political administration in power and could potentially influence future judicial decisions.

This call to action by Comrade Frank adds a significant voice to the ongoing debate over the minimum wage in Nigeria. It remains to be seen how the NLC and TUC will respond to this challenge and what impact it will have on the ongoing wage negotiations.