President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has announced the increment of N25,000 to the salaries of low-grade workers.

Tinubu made the pledge in his Independence Day Broad­cast to the nation on Sunday, October 1, 2023, where he not­ed that the salary increase will last for a period of six months.

The president noted that this is part of his government’s effort to provide cushion against the effect of fuel subsidy removal.

Commenting on the crisis facing Nigerians and the pro­posed indefinite strike by mem­bers of the organised Labour, Tinubu said he was attuned to the hardships that have come.

He said he had a heart that feels and eyes that see.

“I wish to explain to you why we must endure this trying mo­ment.

“Those who sought to per­petuate the fuel subsidy and broken foreign exchange pol­icies are people who would build their family mansion in the middle of a swamp.

“I am different. I am not a man to erect our national home on a foundation of mud. To endure, our home must be constructed on safe and pleas­ant ground,” he said.

The president went further to state that reform may be painful, but it is what greatness and the future require.

“We now carry the costs of reaching a future Nigeria where the abundance and fruits of the nation are fairly shared among all, not hoarded by a se­lect and greedy few.

“A Nigeria where hunger, poverty and hardship are pushed into the shadows of an ever fading past,” he added.

According to Tinubu, there is no joy in seeing the people of this nation shoulder burdens that should have been shed years ago.

He said: “I wish today’s dif­ficulties did not exist. But we must endure if we are to reach the good side of our future.

“My government is doing all that it can to ease the load. I will now outline the path we are taking to relieve the stress on our families and households.

“We have embarked on sever­al public sector reforms to sta­bilize the economy, direct fiscal and monetary policy to fight in­flation, encourage production, ensure the security of lives and property and lend more support to the poor and the vulnerable.

“Based on our talks with la­bour, business and other stake­holders, we are introducing a provisional wage increment to enhance the federal minimum wage without causing undue inflation.

“For the next six months, the average low-grade work­er shall receive an additional Twenty-Five Thousand naira per month.

“To ensure better grassroots development, we set up an In­frastructure Support Fund for states to invest in critical areas.

“States have already re­ceived funds to provide relief packages against the impact of rising food and other prices.

“Making the economy more robust by lowering transport costs will be key.

“In this regard, we have opened a new chapter in pub­lic transportation through the deployment of cheaper, safer Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses across the nation.

“These buses will operate at a fraction of current fuel pric­es, positively affecting transport fares.

“New CNG conversions kits will start coming in very soon as all hands are on deck to fast track the usually lengthy pro­curement process.

“We are also setting up train­ing facilities and workshops across the nation to train and provide new opportunities for transport operators and entre­preneurs.

“This is a groundbreaking moment where, as a nation, we embrace more efficient means to power our economy. In mak­ing this change, we also make history.”