Organised Labour: Of Citizens’ Rage

BY ZAINAB SULEIMAN OKINO

WHETHER the national work­force is 720,000 at the federal level and about 90,000 at the sub-national level, the number of public servants (constituting the labour force) represented by Organised Labour that the Nigerian government must contend with over the new minimum wage is grossly insignificant in comparison with the number of angry Nigerians thrown into existential agony over government’s unfriendly policies.

If we argue over Labour’s so-called selfish demand for just two per cent of the Nigerian populace, it becomes even more appropriate to fault the govern­ment’s recalcitrance in its negotiation with such an “insignificant number,” in contrast with the possibility that Nige­rians could pour unto the streets in mil­lions to demand government’s proactive action against hunger and deaths caused by starvation. That is the stark reality of today’s Nigeria, a country where one tuber of yam sells for as high as between N3,000 and N7,000.

In the last few weeks, the Nigerian Labour Congress and its Trade Union Congress counterpart and government representatives have been at daggers drawn over the issue of minimum wage for workers. Before the current stalemate, the government had offered N62,000, against Labour’s N250,000 demand, after the last general strike that saw Labour shutting down the na­tional grid and other critical sectors like healthcare and the airports.

Labour was heavily criticised for its action, with some calling for the heads of its leaders and seeking for their tri­als for economic sabotage. I align with the Secretary to the Government of the Federation George Akume over Labour’s actions in some ways and hope that they (Organised Labour) would be more stra­tegic going forward. SGF Akume however spoiled his own argument when he said the government would not accede to Labour’s demand because someone like him who has four drivers cannot pay even N100,000 to each of the drivers. This is insensitive on the part of the SGF and akin to adding pepper and salt to the bleeding injury of Nigerians. Please what’s the SGF doing with four drivers?

This kind of profligacy permeates the system, and this government has not made much effort to curb or eradicate it. The public service is replete with leak­ages and loopholes that are exploited for personal advantages. On 10 June, a fed­eral high court sitting in Abuja ordered the final forfeiture of NOK University and all its assets and property because the anti-corruption organ, EFCC, established that the university is linked to a former director of finance and accounts at the Federal Ministry of Health, Anthony Hassan, in a case of alleged diversion of public funds. This is in addition to a water factor, and a hotel, both being proceeds of corruption that Anthony Hassan had to forfeit.

The stench in the public sector is nauseating, and if the authorities seem helpless, why should legitimate workers and ordinary Nigerians be made to bear the pangs of official recklessness and daylight robberies in the ministries, de­partments and agencies (MDAs) of gov­ernment? Imagine a director amassing so much, only to build a university, where such illegal wealth and other societal malfeasance should be interrogated. How many Anthony Hassans are out there, who having milked us to near death, are revelling in their stolen funds.

Another visibly annoying display of opulence is our convoy mentality. I doubt if any minister or governor moves around with less than 10 cars each, not to talk of heads of MDAs, military and paramilitary heads, Senators and Representatives, all funded from the public purse. The presi­dent’s convoy on his first visit to Lagos after he was sworn nearly shut down the nation’s commercial capital. For a coun­try that spends so much on frivolities, to tell Nigerian workers, who carry the burden of many family members on their shoulders, that it can only pay N62,000 minimum wage is the height of insensitiv­ity. An average basket of tomatoes, just enough for a family of four for about three days, costs as high as N15,000, meaning that N62,000 can only last about a week if you must buy that and meat, milk and eggs, which have all become luxuries.

As part of activities to mark the one-year anniversary of Tinubu in office, the Vice President’s official residence was recently commissioned, after the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, took it over. Here is a project that was started in 2010 at a cost of N7 billion. At a time of national economic crunch and citizens being compelled by the hard times to make personal sacrifices, this administration completed the VP residence at the cost of N21 billion. Don’t get me wrong, the VP deserves a befitting residence, but how is it a priority now and with such a jet speed?

Within the last few days, news broke that the House of Representatives Com­mittee on National Security and Intel­ligence recommended the purchase of a new aircraft for President Tinubu and Vice President Shettima, after its inves­tigation about the status of the aircraft. Are these people living among us at all? How is a presidential aircraft a security issue over and above the near absence of food security? Other than their aides, the president and his men should hear the voices from the streets. If they do, I’m sure they won’t be able to sleep with two eyes closed because of the level of deprivation at the lower and middle rungs of the society. It is scary.

Government should put certain frame­works in place and curb their excesses before Nigerians can be convinced that the country is broke. The politicians whom they see as models do not inspire confidence. They are extravagant and reckless with public funds. Therefore, bad behaviour, corruption and opaque­ness must be eliminated, before the government and the governed can be on the same page for the progress of the country.

In the interim, expecting understand­ing from famished workers where luxuries amid plenty exist is not humanly possible. There must be empathy on the part of leadership to Labour before Nige­rians can feel government is concerned about their welfare. Conversely treating Labour’s request with levity has implica­tions. If anger boils over to the streets, no government, no matter how powerful, can withstand such rage.