Govt should control prices of commodities in the market–Dr. Orupu

Dr  Arthur Orupu in this interview with Elizabeth Vincent in Yenagoa recently says only government control of prices of commodities in the market will enable workers to feel the impact of a new national minimum wage if approved. Excerpts

What is your name sir?

My name is Dr  Arthur Orupu?

What is your take on the disagreement between Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC and Trade Union Congress regarding a new national minimum wage?

Well, Trade Union Congress is part of organised labour and quite a number of them are teachers, all I want to say is power tussle and recognition. But labour is a recognize organization in Nigeria before TUC, there’s no point they should rank their shoulders with labour.

What is the disagreement over raising the minimum wage?

NLC demanded N850,000 for workers monthly  while TUC demanded N447,000 monthly, TUC is supposed to be subsumed under NLC and that is the right thing to do as part of labour.

What are your thoughts on the impact of the new minimum wage on the economy?

The impact of the new minimum wage, is when this market women know that, salaries of workers have been increased, they will not know how many percentage it has been increased but to increase their prices of commodities exorbitantly in the market.

In what way do you believe minimum wage will shape the market ?

It will not shape the market, but to make things difficult for people, government should control the prices of commodities in the market. Why am I saying this? If I am being paid N500,000 as my new minimum wage, it will not be enough, they will just charge high prices, they will only say big man with big problem.

State governors should negotiate with their workers and implement the new minimum wage monthly for the betterment of its citizens