Workers’ Day: Bankole Urges Full Implementation of New Minimum Wage

Workers’ Day: Bankole Urges Full Implementation of New Minimum Wage

JOEL OLADELE, Abuja

A committed advocate for justice and the rights of Nigerian workers, and a former Students’ Union President of the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Aare (Hon.) Tolu Bankole, has called for full and immediate implementation of the new national minimum wage in all states and institutions that have yet to comply.

Joining fellow patriots across the nation to heartily celebrate Nigerian workers on this year’s Workers’ Day, Bankole said the workers’ welfare must not be seen as an act of charity, but a duty that must be prioritized by every institution.

In a heartfelt message marking the occasion, Hon. Bankole saluted the competence, capacity, dedication to service, loyalty to the Nigerian state, and unshakable resilience of workers across all sectors, describing them as “the mother of the nation.”

According to him, Nigerian workers have continued to hold the fabric of the country together, even in the face of economic adversity and governance gaps.

“Today, I do not just celebrate Nigerian workers I honour them. From the classroom to the hospital ward, from the farms to the factories, from the civil service desks to our armed forces, Nigerian workers remain the silent heroes, giving their best, sacrificing daily, and sustaining national productivity,” he said.

He described it as “criminal and inexcusable” for any institution public or private to owe workers their wages, allowances, or pensions.

“A system that delays or denies workers their rightful entitlements is complicit in economic sabotage and must be called out,” Bankole declared.

The former student Union Leader, therefore called on all tiers of government and private sector employers to promptly and consistently pay living wage, bonuses, allowances, pensions, and gratuities.

He therefore urged full and immediate implementation of the new national minimum wage in all states and institutions that have yet to comply.

“Workers should be celebrated, motivated, promoted and preserved. Their welfare must not be seen as an act of charity, but a duty of national priority that directly impacts productivity, security, and national unity,” Bankole noted.

The Chairman, Governing Board Federal Teaching Hospital Ido-Ekiti, reiterated that Nigerian workers deserve nothing but the best; a conducive working environment, fair remuneration, regular capacity-building, and upward mobility within their careers.

“The government must also ensure a functional, digitised and corruption-free pension system that respects the dignity of labour, especially for our senior citizens who have served this nation with honour,” he added.

Aare Tolu Bankole concluded by reaffirming his solidarity with all Nigerian workers and assured them of his continued advocacy for their rights, welfare and honour not just on Workers’ Day, but every day.