The leadership of the Movement for the Survival of the Izon Ethnic Nationality in the Niger Delta, MOSIEND, on Wednesday called on the Federal Government to consider a upward review of monthly stipends for ex-freedom fighters from the Niger Delta region, as negotiations continue with organized labour for a new minimum wage for workers.
Recall that organised labour on Tuesday suspended its nationwide indefinite strike for one week, following renewed commitment from the Federal Government.
The National Secretary of MOSIEND, Amb Amain Winston Cotterel, in a press statement made available to DAILY POST, said the new minimum wage should capture every sector and that no one should be left out in the interest of all Nigerians.
He said the salary of every Nigerian worker in the payroll of the Federal Government must be raised to measure up with the current economic realities in the country for peace to reign across board.
“The Presidential Amnesty Office can no longer operate with the sum of N65,000 as salary for each agitator, and if the new minimum wage is not holistic to capture everybody, it may ignite another round of violent agitations in the Niger Delta, which may definitely affect the entire country.
“Since the Federal Government and Labour are negotiating on the new minimum wage, they should ensure to fashion out a new minimum wage for the Niger Delta Ex-Agitators who have been on a monthly stipend of N65,000 under the Presidential Amnesty Programme since 2009.
“Already, before now, the ex-agitators have been having series of protests concerning the N65,000 which can no longer afford anything in the market because of the inflation, but nobody has given them attention, so I believe this is the time for the government to do the right thing so that they don’t feel neglected or intimidated.”
Continuing, the MOSIEND leader observed that the ex-militants are stakeholders in the Nigerian economy.
“As ex-agitators, they are Nigerians, they are stakeholders and they are part of the economy. Whatever is affecting anybody in this country is also affecting them, and many of them cannot afford their children’s school fees or put good food on their table because of the inflation and hardship in the country.
“So the Federal Government should ensure that whatever percentage they are adding to the salary of civil servants in the country as minimum wage, the same should be added to the Amnesty beneficiaries so that we can have peace and better economy – because you don’t expect one sector to be growing while the other remains stagnant.
“They should be given priority because they are Nigerians, because they are Niger Deltans and because the funds that are going to be used to pay the new minimum wage come from the Niger Delta, and those that lay the golden eggs should benefit from it, because they have paid the price to maintain peace and stability in the region so that the entire country can survive.
“As MOSIEND, the leading youth body in the Niger Delta region, we don’t want our boys to go back to the creeks again because it will be disastrous. So, whatever the Federal Government is doing regarding this new minimum wage must be replicated to the ex-agitators – it must reflect in their allowances,” he added.
Minimum Wage: Increase stipends of ex-militants – Niger Delta group tells Nigerian Govt