Maters Arising from Workers’ Day Celebrations

Damilola Oyedele captures the issues affecting Nigeria workers and the populace as raised by the labour movements at the 2015 May Day celebrations

Nigerian workers under the aegis of the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria at the 2015 May day celebrations again highlighted several issues affecting the populace, which need urgent attention from the incoming government. At the different events to mark the workers day themed: “The Working Class, Democratic Consolidation and Economic Revival: Charting the Way to National Economic Rebirth,” the issues in Nigeria’s struggles and quest for democratic governance were highlighted.

Subsidy Removal

This is a matter that touches a raw nerve among Nigerians as the price of petroleum products has an effect on almost every other facet of human life. As reports floated into the public sphere that the Senate had passed the 2015 Appropriation bill without provisions for fuel subsidy, ( clarifications on the matter has since been made by the Minister of Finance) labour leaders kicked and vowed to resist any attempt to remove fuel subsidy. They warned the incoming government not to try to look for money in the wrong places.

Several suggestions were proffered instead of considering the removal of fuel subsidy. First was an urgent need for reforms in the oil and gas sector, and elimination of crude oil theft. To achieve these, they said the incoming administration would have to show uncommon courage if it is to make the oil and gas sector run efficiently.

“We neither know how many barrels of crude we produce daily nor how the income accruing from same is spent. It is more alarming that even our reserve which is meant to help sustain us during the lean day has been depleted. All these call for extensive reform measures capable of redeeming the sector from its unenviable status as a conduit pipe through which the nation’s commonwealth is being siphoned,” TUC President General, Comrade Bobboi Kaigama said.

Unfortunately the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) designed to address challenges in the sector is encountering a lot of bottlenecks by elements with subversive interests, thus occasioning great disincentive to investment in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry by the oil majors, he added.

Security

Despite the recent gains scored by the military and the multi national joint task force over the Boko Haram terrorists, the unions noted that there is a need for consolidation to rid the nation of insecurity. TUC and NLC noted with concern renewed incidences of armed robbery, kidnappings, cattle rustling, ethnic and sectarian crises in other parts of the country.

The abduction of the Chibok girls remain the biggest symbol of the audacity of Boko Haram attacks in Nigeria, the NLC President, Comrade Aruba Wabba noted in his address, adding that the girls must be found, whatever it would cost the country.

Wabba noted that although the terrorists are being pushed out communities in the North east, it is not yet ‘uhuru’, as terrorists’ organisation in such situation would continue to attempt to hit soft targets. He called for vigilance from all Nigerians to effectively safeguard their immediate environments.

“…But more especially, we as a nation should stand together as one and never again allow this to happen to us. This calls for addressing both the remote and immediate causes of this insurgency and other security challenges,” he said.

Unemployment/Minimum Wage/Emoluments

One of the biggest issues directly affecting workers is the fact that the purchasing power of the minimum wage has been reduced by devaluation of the Naira. The International Labour Organisation (ILO) recommends that a workers should earn at least a minimum of $100 as monthly wage. With the devaluation of the Naira to N197 to the dollar, the N18,000 minimum wage is about $91.

The incoming government should therefore expect a clamour for the review of the wages soon. Workers have also continued to grapple with owed salaries by public and private employers, compounding the perennial injustice of poor compensation for their work. The unions also listed retrenchment, casualisation, delay or outright refusal to pay gratuities and pensions of retirees, threats of retrenchment, etc as other factors that directly affect the Nigeria workers.

“We must take a firm stand against the recklessness of our political class who would rather prioritise spending billions on electioneering than pay wages and benefits of workers and retirees,” NLC President said.

The high rate of unemployment also creates a source for concern as it is directly tied to the rate of crime in any country. The unions expressed regret that the major sectors: oil and gas, textile industries, steel, which have the capacity to create a high number of jobs, have suffered neglect for too long.

“And even those with jobs have their hearts in their hands. There is so much uncertainty in the land occasioned by employers’ anti-union posture. The telecommunications sector is a good example, but we shall soon come hard on them until they conform to extant labour laws,” Wabba said.

He called on the incoming government to formulate and implement policies that would serve as catalyst for mass creation of decent well-paid jobs both in the public and private sectors of the economy, with an enabling environment such as provision of constant electricity, good roads, pipe-borne water, soft-loans, production-inducing tax regime, excellent education, etc.

For Kaigama, the present circumstance where entry into the federal public service has become an all-comers affair is counterproductive and unacceptable, especially as it tends to dampen workers’ morale and breed mediocrity.

“We must add that the Federal Civil Service Commission needs to be jolted from its slumber. Its oversight functions as regards recruitment and promotion must not be left unattended to,” he said.

Corruption

The culprit for every form of underdevelopment in Nigeria is corruption backed by impunity. The scourge has been blamed on every challenge ranging from power failure, insecurity, lack or and poor infrastructure and others. It has been allowed to take deep root in the polity because of weakened anti-corruption institutions.

State of the Economy

It is no longer news that the Nigerian economy has been badly affected by the fall in oil prices. The unions noted that the failure to fully diversify the economy and reduce the over dependency on oil has resulted in a weakened Naira, and depleted external reserves.

“We however, need to learn lessons from the current experience and brace up to being sincere and true to our conscience. For instance, we wonder why the oil sector which accounts for less than 15 per cent of GDP and less than 7per cent of employment contributes 70per cent of government revenue while non-oil activities that contribute more than 85 per cent of GDP and more than 80 per cent of employment contribute only 30 per cent of government revenue?” NLC President queried.

It was however not all gloom. The unions lauded the conduct of the 2015 general elections despite the hitches experienced at the polls. Congratulating the President elect, General Muhammad Buhari, they lauded the outgoing President Goodluck Jonathan for conceding defeat and dousing the tension in the polity.