0
0
By Sola Rotimi
The need for the Federal Government to introduce a Living Wage Initiative in the Civil Service has been strongly emphasized.
This formed part of the recommendations of Prof. Ismaila Kadiri of the Department of Industrial Relations and Personnel Management, University of Ilorin, while delivering the 296th Inaugural Lecture of the institution.
The lecture, titled “Let My Wage Take Me Home: Issues and Controversies,” examined the realities and challenges surrounding wage administration in Nigeria.
Prof. Kadiri noted that promoting living wage standards beyond the statutory minimum wage, tailored to prevailing economic conditions and cost-of-living indices, would significantly boost workforce morale and productivity.
“Wages today cannot meet the financial commitments of most workers in both the public and private sectors,” he stated.
The industrial relations and personnel management expert further advocated increasing the minimum wage to a level that reflects the true cost of living, stressing that such a step would enable workers to afford basic necessities and live with dignity.
He emphasized that sustainable growth and development cannot be achieved without adequate employee engagement and effective career management.
Kadiri also highlighted the impact of wage structures and leave policies on the efficiency of civil servants in Nigeria: “Leave policy is one of the social wellness initiatives designed by employers to support employees facing challenges both at work and outside the workplace,” he explained.
He observed that instead of serving as a period for rest and rejuvenation, leave has increasingly become a coping mechanism for workers to cut transportation and other work-related expenses due to low wages.
He described the title of the lecture as “not just a reflection of individual struggles, but a clarion call for collective action.”
“Addressing the wage crisis requires a concerted effort from all sectors of society, united in the pursuit of a more equitable and sustainable future,” he added.
The University don further challenged employers of labour to rethink existing economic and social systems, urging them to prioritize human dignity and well-being over profit margins.
