Tope Fasua claims that Nigeria faced poverty long before becoming independent. He said this on Tuesday during his talk on Arise TV. The presidential adviser for Economic Affairs also admitted that people across the country feel hungry these days. He mentioned that paying any full-time worker less than N70,000 breaks the law. The new minimum wage makes smaller payments illegal.
Fasua believes Nigeria needs special ways to measure poverty beyond what others suggest. He feels that outside recommendations might not fit Nigerian culture. He wants the government to separate poverty from hunger discussions. This helps prevent people from blaming officials unfairly. He stressed that poverty exists everywhere worldwide, not just in Nigeria. The government tried fighting inflation through higher minimum wages.
Some states raised pay to N80,000 or N75,000 per month. A newspaper reported only sixteen states actually paid the new amounts. Fasua thinks people cannot survive on salaries from two years ago. Food prices jumped 200 percent during that time. He met workers still earning just N40,000 for full-time jobs. This falls well below legal requirements for worker pay. The adviser agrees that hunger exists but says it does not define the entire country.
The government wants better solutions for economic problems inherited from earlier times. Officials hope higher wages will help families cope with rising costs. Fasua thinks Nigeria should create its measurement standards rather than use foreign models. He worries about public perception when both issues are combined. The adviser sees minimum wage enforcement as essential for addressing current hardships.
Fasua believes Nigeria needs special ways to measure poverty beyond what others suggest. He feels that outside recommendations might not fit Nigerian culture. He wants the government to separate poverty from hunger discussions. This helps prevent people from blaming officials unfairly. He stressed that poverty exists everywhere worldwide, not just in Nigeria. The government tried fighting inflation through higher minimum wages.
Some states raised pay to N80,000 or N75,000 per month. A newspaper reported only sixteen states actually paid the new amounts. Fasua thinks people cannot survive on salaries from two years ago. Food prices jumped 200 percent during that time. He met workers still earning just N40,000 for full-time jobs. This falls well below legal requirements for worker pay. The adviser agrees that hunger exists but says it does not define the entire country.
The government wants better solutions for economic problems inherited from earlier times. Officials hope higher wages will help families cope with rising costs. Fasua thinks Nigeria should create its measurement standards rather than use foreign models. He worries about public perception when both issues are combined. The adviser sees minimum wage enforcement as essential for addressing current hardships.
