The Plight of Nigerian Workers »

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunus

It’s a very mischievous approach by the Federal Government of Nigeria to announce the increment of 25 and 35 percentages of salaries for the various workers in the country. More mischievous is the N48,000 proposed as minimum wage. These acts of theirs are deliberate attempts to dodge the implementation of the N615,000 minimum wage proposed by the NLC. If not, of what essence is the increment of salaries–which are actually peanuts–hence of no benefits? What manner of negotiation is that which suggests not up to 10% of the principal proposal?

In a sane clime, the government, in the midst of an unbearable economy like ours, would hasten to draft–by themselves–and implement a corresponding and reasonable minimum wage for its workers. But since we’re in a country where leaders have turned blind eyes and deaf ears to the condition of the workers, and the committee set up with 1billion Naira to deliberate and connect the dots on how to implement a decent minimum wage for the workers isn’t effective, the NLC had to sit, do the maths and come up with a reasonable wage that will suffice for the workers in the midst of the harsh life-threatening economy. That notwithstanding, the government, without empathy, decided to ridicule the Nigerian workers.

In light of the above, tell me why the country won’t be under social unrest. All forms of social vices are now on the rise because the government failed to create enabling environments for most of those involved in heinous crimes. Recently, a young boy was caught trying to detonate bomb planted on himself in a Bank in Jos–trading his life for money. It’s not an attempt to justify their actions but, with all honesty, how would a father of four to five children survive with a take home salary of thirty thousand Naira? What are they going to feed on? No clothing? No schooling? Not to talk about health insurance or house rent; a means of transportation to the place of work is needed by any worker in Nigeria except if yours is close-by–a case typically rare in Nigeria. So, ask yourself, how do such people survive?
In the absence of their basic needs, they are tempted to go about the provision of these needs in heinous manners.

Presently, the heartlessness of the Federal Government can never be quantified. This is not an exaggeration. Check for yourself and you will notice that this government is always quick in implementing any policy that affects the ordinary Nigerians but hesitates whenever it’s a policy that will bring them comfort. How convenient was it to quickly remove fuel subsidy but difficult to draft and implement a corresponding minimum wage after eleven months in office?

As if that is not enough, an increment in electricity bill surfaced. An electricity that’s in a dilapidated condition. Left with no choice, Nigerians agreed to comply but where is the light? Categorizing us into Band A, B, C but it seems we all are in a banditry condition–we are actually being managed/taken care of by a glorified bandit. A first class accounting graduate of UI who always sounds like a retarded, ill-bred and unfortunate being who never attended College of Education.

Furthermore, the CBN came up with its own extortion ploy in collaboration with the office of the NSA–imposing on the under-earning hard-to-feed Nigerians the so-called cyber security levy. Sometimes, someone would wonder if these people really have a heart. Implement a decent minimum wage for the workers, no! They are being hesitative and cunning about it but have the temerity to come up with a mischievous levy.

Kudo to the Labour Congress for the pickets carried out by its members days after the fraudulent announcement which led to the suspension of the levy by the Federal Government. They mustn’t relent if really they want their demands to be respected and considered. This is just the beginning of the struggle. Impressively, it can be said that they’re on the right track in ensuring that the cry of the workers is heard. Rest, they say, is sweet after labour. Federal Government, let the workers enjoy the fruits of their labour.