MINIMUM WAGE WON'T SOLVE NIGERIA'S PROBLEM -LAWMAKER

Payment of N18, 000 minimum wage has been faulted as one decision that would not solve the problem of Nigerian workers because of inflationary tendency.

Addressing the Nzuko Ora Nnewi (Nnewi town union), Chris Azubogu, member representing Nnewi North/South/Ekwusigo Federal constituencies in the National Assembly, argued that even if N100, 000 were fixed as minimum wage, it would be moped up quickly by a hyperinflation that would come up as the end product, because of price mechanism.

He recommends that since the law had fixed minimum wage at N18, 000, the Federal Government should find a way to cushion the value of the naira to check the resultant inflationary tendency.

According to him, 'once you increase salary, the market woman increases the prices of her goods. But because it is already a law, we can't discuss it any more. It will be implemented.

'The issue is not about minimum wage but what is important is to make the naira have value, and that is where Federal Government should focus.'

Speaking on the state of insecurity plaguing the nation, he advocated police reform as the only vibrant means of salvaging the country from its present state of insecurity, pointing out that this could be made possible with the recruitment of unemployed graduates roaming the streets into the police to serve as a lasting solution to the problem.

'To solve the problem of insecurity in the country, there is need for police reforms, which should witness increase in police pay package, other remunerations and then getting them well equipped. Most of these criminals are graduates. Get them recruited into the police and pay them well and see whether the issue of insecurity will not drop to its lowest ebb,' Azubogu stressed.

The federal lawmaker equally guaranteed that he would draw the attention of the Federal Government to the infrastructural needs of the industrial town, especially roads and electricity, adding that he was aware that over 65 industries in Nnewi had gone moribund due to one reason or the other.

Azubogu, who also assured his constituents that he would never distance himself from them, pledged to co-operate fully with other All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) representatives in the National Assembly from the South-east zone to have a pool of ideas for quality and effective representation 'which will bring the needed development to the ttate.'

Chairman of Nzuko Ora Nnewi, Chief Charles Agu Onyeka, acknowledged that Azubogu was the first representative of the federal constituency who remembered to come home to say thank you after an election, and charged him to always remember those who sent him to serve them.