The Labour Party (LP) candidate during the 2023 governorship election in Lagos, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour believes a minimum wage of at least N100,000 is necessary for the state’s workers.
Rhodes-Vivour said this on Thursday evening in a post on his X account after Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu announced a new minimum wage of N85,000 for Lagos State workers.
He said after watching Governor Sanwo-Olu’s full interview on Channels Television a few key points demand closer scrutiny.
“While the recent increase in the minimum wage to N85,000 is a step in the right direction, it’s important to note that this amount falls significantly short of addressing the unique cost-of-living challenges faced by Lagos workers,” Rhodes-Vivour said.
“The city has the highest intra-city public transportation costs in Nigeria, particularly for motorcycle rides, a common mode of transport across several states in the country.
“Lagos also ranks second nationally in the average cost of a healthy diet, making it the second most expensive city in the country to feed.
“Excluding Abuja, Lagos has the highest rental costs in the country, with meagre investments in social housing programs and rent control policies.
Given these factors, a minimum wage of at least N100,000 is necessary for Lagos workers to achieve parity with their counterparts in other states.”
Rhodes-Vivour in his post said Sanwo-Olu boasts of increasing the Lagos State budget from N600 billion to over N1 trillion with a projected N3 trillion before his second term ends.
He said the governor also claims a 94% budget performance rate but Rhodes-Vivour countered, saying these claims seem to be at odds with the reality of Lagos.
“The city still grapples with poor infrastructure, low investment in human capital and education outcomes, a struggling public transportation network, increasing slums and informal communities and very few social welfare programs,” he lamented.
“These are the issues that truly matter to the people of Lagos, not just the size of the budget.”
He stated that it is crucial to note that over 70% of Lagos State’s operating revenue comes from taxes with PAYE (Pay As You Earn) contributing 45%.
According to him, this means the state’s wealth which the governor seems to take all the credit for is primarily generated by citizens’ hard work.
“The critical question is: What tangible benefits do Lagosians receive in return for this significant contribution? Do their children have access to quality public education?,” Rhodes-Vivour asked.
“Is there an efficient and affordable public transportation system? Are the roads well-maintained? Is social housing readily available? Can residents easily access capital for entrepreneurship?
“These are the real measures of a government’s success, not just the size of its budget.”
He said boasting about an aggressive and exploitative tax system without commensurate investment in public goods is more characteristic of a cartel than a supposedly progressive government.
Rhodes-Vivour said: “Finally, while it is fair to commend opening the blue rail, albeit after 16 years, the question is, what kind of city are we building, who are we building for, and what opportunities do we seek to tap into?
“Comparing Lagos State with Bauchi or Ekiti is juvenile and visionless when the city lags far behind its contemporaries around Africa.
“There is much work to be done in Lagos and the All Progressive Congress (APC) has wasted 24 years, barely scratching the surface.”
