Rhodes-Vivour slams Sanwo-Olu’s new minimum wage

The recent announcement by Lagos Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu on the state’s new minimum wage has drawn sharp criticism from Labour Party’s 2023 governorship candidate, Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour.

Rhodes-Vivour argues that while Sanwo-Olu boasts of increasing Lagos’ budget, the state continues to grapple with severe challenges, including high transportation costs and poor living conditions.

“Lagos has the highest intra-city public transportation costs in Nigeria and ranks second in the average cost of a healthy diet, behind only Abuja,” Rhodes-Vivour pointed out in a statement on Friday.

He emphasized the need for a minimum wage of at least N100,000 for Lagos workers to achieve parity with other states, given these financial burdens.

Despite Sanwo-Olu’s claims of raising the Lagos budget from N600 billion to over N1 trillion and achieving a 94% budget performance rate, Rhodes-Vivour argues that key issues persist.

He highlighted the state’s poor infrastructure, inadequate investment in human capital, and underperforming education system.

READ ALSO: TUC commends Sanwo-Olu on N85,000 minimum wage for Lagos workers

“Over 70% of Lagos’ operating revenue comes from taxes, with 45% contributed by PAYE, yet the citizens see little in return,” he said, criticizing the inefficiencies in public transportation and the rise of slums.

Rhodes-Vivour further condemned the governor’s focus on tax revenue without significant investment in public goods.

“Boasting about an aggressive tax system without improving public services is more characteristic of a cartel than a progressive government,” he stated, adding that Sanwo-Olu’s comparison of Lagos to smaller states like Bauchi or Ekiti was “juvenile” and lacked vision.

He concluded by calling for a change, stating, “After 24 years under the APC, Lagosians deserve more than empty boasts about budget size. It’s time to address the real issues that affect the everyday lives of Lagosians.”