Without Basic Amenities, Minimum Wage Increase Won’t Have Effect – member of the Federal House of Representatives, Mufutau Egberongbe

Lagos – A member of the Federal House of Representatives, Mufutau Egberongbe has said that the new minimum wage increase by the federal government may have no positive impact on workers if basic amenities are not put in place.

Egberongbe in a chat with DAILY  INDEPENDENT on Sunday commended both the federal government, Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) for eventually coming to a conclusion on the minimum wage issue, which he said lingered for too long.

The lawmaker, who is representing Apapa Federal Constituency, however, noted that the recent increment may have no impact on the workforce if basic amenities such as potable water, good roads, various means of transportation, electricity are not made available.

According to him, “It is a good thing that the NLC, TUC and the federal government eventually reached a compromise on the minimum wage issue. The issue dragged for too long and I want to commend Labour and the government for reaching a conclusion in the end.

“Having said that, I still believe that the new increment may have no positive impact on the workers if government at all level don’t provide the necessary basic amenities considered to be essential to make life easier and more pleasant.


“The government must ensure that there is potable water for the people so that they won’t to sink a borehole and maintain the same borehole; also, there should power supply, good roads network. Security should be in place so that the people won’t have to use their money to pay for security.

“Government must provide other means of transportation apart from the road. We should make our railways and waterways transportation to be effective. Once we can put these things in place, then the workforce will have the opportunity the increment.”

Egberongbe also advised the government and the labour to always avoid situations that will make issues linger for too long and at times end in strike actions.