Greetings, everyone!
I want to talk about the issue of minimum wage, bringing it down to my level and my current experience as a Youth Corps member.
Before I came for NYSC, the minimum wage was ₦33,000, and many Corps members complained that it wasn’t enough to meet their needs. Some even protested on social media, calling on government agencies to increase the allowance as promised.
Truthfully, the previous allowance was not enough due to the current economic situation in Nigeria. Even the new allowance we are receiving now is still not sufficient, but we thank God that the government has considered our situation. We are managing and making the best of it.
Last year, when I started my service, the new allowance was introduced, and I was happy because it would have affected me directly. Expenses such as food, accommodation, clothing, and others are quite high, often exceeding the allowance. However, the increase has brought some relief to Nigerian Youth Corps members.
That said, we still hope that the government will do more regarding the minimum wage. Increasing it further would greatly help, considering the rising cost of food and other essential items in Nigeria.
Many Nigerians depend on a single source of income, their monthly salary, without any additional business or side income. My advice to Nigerians is not to rely on one source of income alone. Instead, they should think beyond that and develop physical or online businesses that can generate additional income.
I can confidently say that some people earn more from their businesses than from their salaries. It is not wise to depend solely on the government or the economy. While having a government job is good, it is even better to be strategic and develop other income streams to support yourself and your family.
Nevertheless, people earn differently depending on where they work and who they work for.
Employers should be considerate and supportive, recognizing the efforts of their workers and putting measures in place to motivate them.
In conclusion, the government should make efforts to increase the current minimum wage in Nigeria. At the same time, inflation should be controlled, and the prices of food and essential goods should be stabilized to ensure a better standard of living for everyone.
And there is a need to apply wisdom in what we want to do. Wisdom is profitable to direct. What is happening now is paving the way for innovation and creativity to come in. And means of making money without the government contributing to it. Like the cryptocurrency.
Images by me
This is my response to the Hivelearners featured contest week 211 episode 1
I love, I care, and I forgive