By VICTORIA ALI
IN the face of the challenges confronting Nigerian workers and Nigerians generally, what has been the government’s response? What has it done towards ameliorating the desperate conditions of citizens?
As a short-term measure, the Federal Government announced the payments of varying sums of money to workers for six months. For some states of the federation, the payment of that palliatives allowance has since expired without further action. Clearly, it was only a stop-gap solution, a temporary remedy, while the main issue still lingers.
Another sore point regarding Nigeria’s current economic predicament is the lingering issue of a new minimum wage. While the tripartite committee set up by the Federal Government is yet to submit its report on the new minimum wage, almost everybody seems to be in the dark about what is actually happening at the moment.
Although the Edo State Governor, Godwin Obaseki, was quoted as saying that he had raised his state’s minimum wage to N70,000, this purported pronouncement remains worrisome. As a member of the tripartite committee set up by the Federal Government on the new minimum wage, where and how did Mr. Obaseki arrive at his seventy thousand naira whilst the committee of which he is a member is yet to submit its report?
Even as the two main umbrella bodies of workers in the country – the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) – are vigorously pushing for a ‘living wage’ for the Nigerian workers, they should be wary of the intrigues and antics of the employer. Obviously, Governor Obaseki is flying a kite. If not, why not wait for the committee to submit its report?
Certainly, at moments like this, both the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) should be resolute, firm and work in unison in order to achieve the set objectives. It is unfortunate that earlier on in this renewed struggle for the new minimum wage, the two unions were obviously working at cross-purposes without agreeing on a particular amount. This would not serve their purpose as leaders of workers in the country.
With the May 31, 2024, dateline given by the unions for government to resolve the lingering issues related to the new minimum wage, President Ahmed Tinubu should do the needful by wading into what seems like an imminent industrial showdown. With the battered economic situation of the country, it would do no one any good should there be another industrial unrest.
