Sarah Omakwu Raises Alarm Over ₦50,000 Monthly Wages, Tackles Employers

Nigerian cleric Sarah Omakwu has called on employers across the country to review and increase workers’ salaries in response to the rising cost of living, transportation expenses and increasing school fees.

Omakwu made the call while speaking during a church programme, where she expressed concern over what she described as extremely low wages being paid to some Nigerian workers.

According to Bush Radio Academy, the cleric argued that employers should recognise the economic realities facing their employees and adjust salaries accordingly rather than maintaining previous wage levels despite rising living costs.

She questioned how workers earning as little as ₦50,000 monthly could cope with the cost of transportation and other basic necessities while still meeting their responsibilities.

Omakwu also criticised employers who continue to pay workers the same salaries they received the previous year, despite significant increases in the cost of goods and services.

She maintained that a worker earning ₦150,000 in the previous year should not necessarily be expected to remain on the same salary when economic conditions have changed considerably.

The cleric disclosed that she had increased the salaries of workers in her own organisation, saying employers should be more considerate of the financial pressures their employees face.

Beyond workers’ welfare, Omakwu spoke about her efforts to support education in her community, revealing that she had committed a substantial portion of her resources to improving schools in her village.

According to her, the funds had been used to renovate classrooms, repair a damaged school roof and provide educational materials for children.

She further disclosed that she had previously spent about ₦10 million on textbooks, school uniforms, shoes and bags for children in the community. She said the initiative helped encourage children who previously spent much of their time on the streets or assisting their families on farms to return to school.

Omakwu also expressed concern over the manner in which wealthy pastors are sometimes celebrated based on their material possessions. She stressed that she would not want her name associated with rankings of Nigeria’s wealthiest pastors.

Her comments have sparked renewed discussions about workers’ welfare, fair remuneration, the rising cost of education and the responsibility of financially successful individuals to contribute to the development of their communities.