Raise minimum wage to cushion effects of subsidy removal – Ben Bruce tells Buhari

      

As reactions continue to trial the recent removal of fuel subsidy, the lawmaker representing Bayelsa East senatorial district, Senator Ben Murray-Bruce has advised President Muhammadu Buhari to either increase minimum wage for workers or excuse them from paying tax.
Making this appeal through his Twitter account late Thursday, Murray-Bruce reasoned that such move will go a long way in cushioning the effects of the recent fuel price hike.
His tweets read, “I appeal to @MBuhari to consider the immense suffering in Nigeria and increase minimum wage to help workers cope with increased fuel price.

“Either @Mbuhari increases the minimum wage to help masses cope with increased fuel price or he should allow minimum wage earners pay no tax.”

While justifying the call for minimum wage increase, the lawmaker argued that the President and his cabinet do not buy fuel with their money, yet earn more than the minimum wage of workers who do.
He accused the All Progressives Congress, APC-led government of first reneging on its campaign promise of paying N5000 allowance to poor Nigerians and now adding to the suffering of the masses by increasing fuel price.