Peter Obi.
Former presidential candidate, Peter Obi, has called for an urgent review of wages and comprehensive economic reforms, warning that worsening economic conditions are eroding the value of labour and deepening hardship across the country.
In a Workers’ Day message shared on his X (formerly Twitter) account, Obi commended Nigerian workers for their resilience and contributions to national development, describing them as the backbone of the economy.
“Workers are the backbone of every nation. They continue to sustain our families, communities, institutions, and national economy, even in the face of severe hardship and uncertainty,” he said.
Obi expressed concern over the declining purchasing power of wages amid rising inflation, food prices, and transportation costs, noting that many workers are unable to maintain a decent standard of living.
“It is deeply painful that those who teach, heal, build, farm, produce, transport, protect, and serve our nation are still denied the dignity and fair reward their labour deserves,” he stated.
He warned that no nation can achieve meaningful development without prioritising the welfare and productivity of its workforce, stressing that the well-being of workers is directly linked to national prosperity.
“When workers suffer, the nation suffers. When workers are empowered, the nation prospers,” he added.
Beyond economic concerns, Obi also urged citizens to take an active role in governance by supporting leadership grounded in competence, character, capacity, credibility, and compassion.
He further called for the creation of a fairer society anchored on justice, equity, and respect for labour, urging collective action toward building a more inclusive and productive nation.
