‘Are they slaves?’ – Mbaka slams FG over proposed ₦62,000 minimum wage for civil servants

Popular Catholic priest, Rev. Father Ejike Mbaka has criticized the proposed ₦62,000 minimum wage for civil servants, questioning why it isn’t applied to all government officials, including lawmakers and governors.

Mbaka while speaking to journalists on Saturday, condemned the disparity in allowances given to legislators and civil servants despite the hardship in the country.

He further suggested that senators, governors, and members of the House of Representatives should also receive the proposed N62,000 national minimum wage.

He then advised the Federal Government to proceed with caution to avoid a crisis.

Mbaka said, “If we decide to give labour N60,000 or N62,000, why not generalize it to the House of Assembly members, senatorial members, House of Representative members, and governors?

“They are all civil servants, so are the others slaves? I can’t understand why they are amazing billions as sitting allowance, wardrobe allowance, newspaper allowance, and suffering allowance.

“The people that should have such allowances are those suffering in the village.

“How much are our teachers, nurses, and doctors being paid? Let’s be realistic, our civil servants that wake early and return late daily, how much are they being paid?

“Looking at the level of inflation in the country, you will see that we are all not sincere in this country.

“I’m pleading with the government that a stitch in time saves nine; this situation must be handled with care because it might be hijacked and nobody knows the ripples effect.”

The cleric’s remarks is coming in the heels of deliberations between the Federal Government and labour unions regarding the new minimum wage, which the government has proposed at N62,000, while labour unions demand N250,000.