General News

PASTOR Josiah Obiechina, the 1998 presidential aspirant of the defunct Grassroots Democratic Movement (GDM), has advised President Bola Tinubu to approve a  moderate minimum wage to keep inflation at bay.

Obiechina’s advice came against ongoing negotiation and renegotiation by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the federal government over minimum wage and electricity tariff.

He disclosed this on Thursday in a statement made available to newsmen in Kaduna, saying, ”If an outrageous amount is approved as minimum wage, it will create run-away inflation.

”The country will suffer an economic melt-down that may be unbearable by the masses.

“The volume of cash that will be chasing few goods like essential commodities will be 70-30 per cent.”

The former presidential aspirant also urged Tinubu to ensure massive construction of  housing units that will be beneficial to the masses who have the voting power during elections across the country.

According to Obiechina, the housing policy of the Federal Government should reflect positively on the citizenry, especially the adult suffrage who are the springboard to power.

He said, “I equally urge President Tinubu to give postmortem national awards to the late MD Yusuf, Mr Tunji Braithwaite as well as myself, who were pioneer members of the GDM.

“It is to recognise national heroes by the Federal Government, those living and at postmortem level as a point of motivation to others,” he said.

Obiechina recalled how Braithwaite,  a human rights activist and the late MD Yusuf, a retired Inspector-General of Police fought without violence to ensure democratic transformation.

‘He said, ‘The did so from the late Gen. Sani Abacha and other military administrations to birth the 1999 electoral year, which ushered the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in power.”  (NAN)

4th July, 2024.

C.E.

Tags: GDM Grassroots Democratic Movement Josiah Obiechina Pastor Josiah Obiechina President Bola Tinubu