The election of Bola Ahmed Tinubu in the last presidential election is posing as victory for Nigerian workers, as a ray of hope to take into the dark days ahead beamed on them yesterday.
The president-elect assured organised labour in the country that there will be better deal for them under his administration.
Amid the dwindling revenues accruing to both the federal and state governments, Tinubu told the workers that he will go beyond minimum wage to give them a living wage that would guarantee a decent life and enable workers provide for their families.
As of December 2022, Nigeria’s revenue shortfall was said to have hit the highest level in 12 years, creating concerns that the federal government and states of the federation may not be able to pay their workforce.
According to latest data from the 2022 budget implementation, though the federal government reportedly missed its revenue target by 36 percent in eight months (January-August), it still achieved 83 percent of its spending plan.
Economists are however forecasting that the Nigeria could record unprecedented revenue underperformance this year.
But in his solidarity message which he personally signed to mark this year’s International Workers’ Day, the president-elect told the workers yesterday that they would find in him a dependable ally and co-labourer in the fight for social and economic justice for all Nigerians.
Addressing the country’s workforce through the two central Labour unions – Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress(TUC), Tinubu said, “In Nigeria, I shall have the honour and privilege to lead from May 29, workers will have more than a minimum wage. You will have a living wage to have a decent life and provide for your family.
“In me, you will find a dependable ally and co-labourer in the fight for social and economic justice for all Nigerians, including all the working people.
“Your fight will be my fight because I will always fight for you. My plans for better welfare and working conditions are spelt out in my Renewed Hope Agenda for A Better Nigeria. It is a covenant born of conviction and one I am prepared to keep.”
Seeking understanding from the workers, Tinubu however told the workers that the days ahead would require better understanding and cooperation from all sides.
This, he noted, would entail that his administration will take tough and hard decisions so that the “people and all Nigerian workers can live more abundantly.”
The president-elect solicited their support, asking the workers to join hands with his incoming administration in waging a must-win war against poverty, ignorance, disease, disunity, ethnic and religious hate as well as all negative forces that contend against the stability and prosperity of the country.
Celebrating and acknowledging the invaluable roles workers have played in nation-building, Tinubu said, “I join the rest of the world and all compatriots to celebrate Nigerian workers on this year’s International Workers’ Day. Today is a special day in most parts of the world, a day to salute and honour the working people whose hard work and sweat continue to oil the wheel of human progress and advancement.
“Today is significant in many respects. It is a day forged and born out of the struggle for workers’ rights and socio-economic justice. Since 1891, this day has been observed all over the world.
“In Nigeria, every May 1 is a special day in our national calendar. The public holiday we observe is not just to commemorate the contributions and sacrifices of workers to the well-being of our country. It serves both as a celebration of the rights of workers to dignity, decent wages and decent living, and more importantly, it is a testament to the critical role the labour movement plays in our march towards a stronger, united and more prosperous nation.
“Since 1945 when the railway workers and 16 other public service unions led the first General Strike to demand better wages as a result of the rising cost of living, the Labour Movement in Nigeria has always fought on the side of the masses of our country.
“It was no surprise that the Labour Movement added fillip, zest and energy to the struggle for independence by partnering with nationalists such as Nnamdi Azikiwe, Herbert Macaulay, Ahmadu Bello, Obafemi Awolowo, Ernest Ikoli and Anthony Enahoro among others.
“The Nigerian Labour Movement was also not found wanting during our struggle for the restoration of democracy. The Nigerian Labour Congress and its affiliate organisations – NUPENG, Textile Union, PENGASSAN, among others, collaborated with the pro-democracy leaders and groups to restore democratic governance in Nigeria in 1999 after almost two unbroken decades of military dictatorship.”
PMB Advises President-elect On Industrial Relations
Meanwhile, President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday had a word of advise for the president-elect, urging his successive government to maintain sound national industrial relations system.
The president said the incoming administration must continue to respect workers’ rights imbued with socio-economic development driven by the four pillars of the decent work to promote jobs and enterprises, guaranteeing rights at work, extending social protection, and promoting social dialogue for consensus building.
Buhari, who spoke to Nigerian workers through the secretary to government of the federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, yesterday in Abuja at the occasion to mark the 2023 International Workers’ Day, added that his government affirmed the need for the enthronement of decent work.
Speaking on the theme, “Workers’ Rights and Socio-economic Justice”, the president noted that workers’ rights coupled with socio-economic justice make a happy workplace and the elements of decent work concur with his administration’s commitment to reduce poverty and forge a path to achieving equitable, inclusive and sustainable development.
He said, “Workers’ rights coupled with socio-economic justice make a happy workplace. We therefore agree that a fair economic structure targeted at creating opportunities for all to succeed irrespective of sex, race/ethnicity, age, disability, creed, religion, etc. is sine qua non for progress and development.
“I encourage incoming administration to continue to respect workers’ rights imbued with socio-economic development and driven by the four pillars of the decent work agent to promote jobs and enterprises, guaranteeing rights at work, extending social protection, and promoting social dialogue for consensus building and maintain a sound national industrial relations system.”
‘We Don’t Want Broken Promises’
Meanwhile, organised labour in Nigeria yesterday presented eleven points demands to the federal government, warning that it would no longer condone broken promises.
The workers trooped out in large number to mark this year’s International Workers’ Day with a vow to stop impunity in every facets of national life.
They said it is possible for them to recreate Nigeria that embodies living wages, social justice, dignity of labour and decent workplaces.
In an address to the workers, jointly presented by the national president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Joseph Ajaero, and his Trade Union Congress (TUC) counterpart, Comrade Festus Osifo, the labour centres agreed that its is critical they begin by enthroning justice for workers through the drive for eradication of all untoward industrial practices in their workplaces.
They maintained that in view of the rising waves of impunity in workplaces and some actions of public sector employers, the labour centres will soon commence actions against state governments that are yet to fully implement the 2019 national minimum wage law and owes arrears or Salaries, Pensions and allowances and private companies nation-wide that have turned their workplaces as platforms for lawlessness and dehumanisation of workers.
They said, “It is important that Nigerian leaders understand that without guaranteeing the rights of workers, without allowing workers to win, Nigerians and Nigeria will not win, We are Nigerians; when we win, our nation wins and makes sustainable progress. It is the duty of government to provide the right environment for this to happen.
“Our nation must lead with a job led growth. When jobs grow, income increases and the economy is revved higher but we need to protect those that work in these jobs. To protect them, we must ensure that the right legal environment is created and frameworks for compliance with laws are established.”
Among the demands brought up by the organised at the celebration include; the government to ratify the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention 102 on social protection, deepening of the engagements at the National Labour Advisory Council (NLAC) and expanding the periodicity of meetings, establishment of constant tripartite workplace audits, encouraging the registration of more unions to cover the unorganised sectors and speeding up the trade dispute resolution mechanism.
The organised labour presented eleven points demands to the federal government, including the privatisation of the electricity sector be reviewed in favour of Nigeria, addressing the resumption and ramping up of the activities of kidnappers and bandits since after the election, that the judiciary should purge itself and redeem our democracy by its handling of the various election petitions before it and the setting up of an independent panel to investigate the INEC chairman and his team in their conduct of the last general election.
Others are investigating the spending of N12 billion by the Aviation Ministry to buy 10 fire trucks, stop the ongoing legislative madness in the NASS that seeks to stop Medical personnel from taking employment outside the country, continue the objective of returning the local refineries to full capacity, that the President must take steps to ensure that those in his administration planning last minute heist of the nation’s treasury are stopped, stoppage of every action, program or policies that may inflict any form of suffering on Nigerians and workers and not to heed to IMF’s advice on Tax increase.
Meanwhile, the general secretary, Steel Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ISSSAN), Comrade John Odigie, has reacted to the promise by the president-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu to pay workers living wage as president, saying talk is cheap.
Odigie said Nigerian workers were not ready for another eight years of broken promises, but would hold Tinubu accountable to his promise.
For his part, Comrade Amara Chuck said, “We are tired of politicians making promises which they will not keep. What we want Asiwaju to do is beyond mere statement but real action. But we shall keep holding him accountable to his word.”
FG, States May Not Pay Salaries From June, Obaseki Warns
Meanwhile, Edo State governor, Godwin Obaseki, warned yesterday that the federal government may not be able to pay workers’ salaries beyond June 2023 without resorting to massively printing money or removing fuel subsidy.
Obaseki, in his address at the 2023 May Day celebration with the theme, “Workers’ rights and socioeconomic justice,” held at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium, in Benin City, said his government would sustain reforms and projects to improve the welfare of workers and ensure better livelihoods for Edo people.
He urged the workers in the country to shift from the tradition of reacting when policies that affect them have already been made to taking charge and ensure full transparency and accountability of government’s policies and programmes.
Obaseki said, “It would be a miracle for the federal government and state governments to pay salaries beyond June this year without resorting to massively printing money or removing fuel subsidy. Either of these decisions will bring more hardship and pain to Nigerians, particularly workers.
“We must all make sure that the burden and pain of these measures, which must be taken, are not carried by workers alone. Workers must now rise and ensure that they champion any discussion on subsidy removal. You must shift from the tradition of reacting when these policies have been made but insist that you take charge and ensure full transparency and disclosure. If we are all undertaking a reform, then the benefits and pains that will come out of the reforms must be mutually shared by all Nigerians, not just the downtrodden.”
Reaffirming his government’s commitment to the welfare of workers in the state, Obaseki noted: “I am proud to say that Edo workers are currently the best-paid workers in Nigeria. When we announced the increment of the minimum wage to N40,000 at this venue last year, I expected that the federal government and other state governments would follow suit immediately but I am surprised that it has taken them one year already.
“My promise to Edo workers here today is that the day the federal government is able to pay its new minimum wage and hand over a cheque to any federal worker, that day, we will match the federal government and do the same for state workers”.
You Can’t Speak For Govt, Labour Tells Edo Governor
But in a swift reaction, the organised labour yesterday asked Nigerian workers to disregard comment made by Obaseki on the inability of the federal government to pay workers salaries without removing fuel subsidy, saying the Edo governor can’t claim to be speaking for the government at the centre.
Reacting to the development, Head of Information Department, of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Benson Upah, told LEADERSHIP that the governor was only running his month, and cannot speak for the federal government on such issues.
Comrade Upah added that the governor’s statement does not represent the opinion of the federal government and therefore, workers should not take it seriously.
He queried: “Did federal government ask him to speak on its behalf or what was he running his mouth about? Instead of talking about his own state, he is taking about an entity over which he has no control.”
“Did the federal government complain to him, or has the federal government appointed him as its spokesperson? Obaseki is only running his month”.
