“I can’t afford to pay my driver one hundred thousand” — SGF George Akume

Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, has stated that he cannot afford to pay his drivers a N100000 minimum wage, labelling such demands as unrealistic.

Akume made this assertion in Abuja on Thursday during a meeting with the National Executive Council (NEC) of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN).

“I can’t afford to pay my driver one hundred thousand because they are four,” Akume lamented, highlighting the financial burden this would place on employers, including himself.

The former Benue State Governor appealed to the Christian community for support as the tripartite committee on minimum wage continues negotiations.

He emphasized the impracticality of the wage demands made by organized labour, questioning, “Where do we get that money from?”

Akume’s remarks come amid ongoing discussions about increasing the national minimum wage, a move he believes could strain financial resources.

He pointed out that meeting such high wage demands would be a significant challenge for many employers.

In his address, Akume also mentioned that organized labour’s actions during a recent nationwide strike, which included shutting down the national grid, were highly problematic.

He reiterated his call for more realistic and manageable wage demands to ensure economic stability and fairness for all parties involved.