On Wednesday, May 1, 2024, workers in Nigeria joined their counterparts,globally, to mark the 2024 International Workers’ Day, set aside annually to beam the searchlight on thewelfare and plight of workers globally. Also known as May Day, it is a day when workers campaign for decent work and fair pay as well as a day to commemorate and thank workers, worldwide, for their hard work.
Workers, both in government and private employ, form the bedrock on which the building blocks of any sustained national development are laid. As veritable partners in promoting excellence in governance, a well-motivated workforce is a catalyst for good governance. Moreso, a productive workforce is a pride of any nation.
In Nigeria, the plight of workers are encapsulated in series of exacerbating challenges in the face of high and increasing cost of living given the nation’s dwindling economic fortunes. The typical Nigerian worker has often showed great zeal and dedication towards his or her service to his nation. But, there are very salient issues that are of critical importance to the welfare of Nigerian workers today, which they expect their employers to tackle squarely.
These are poor remuneration, arrears of owed salaries, arrears of leave grants, denied relevant welfare packages and incentives, delay of promotion, dearth of training and retraining, non-payment of relevant allowances to health workers as well as university lecturers and non-teaching staff, issues of local government and judiciary autonomy, regularisation of ad-hoc employments, assent to critical legislations, non-implementation of the 22 per cent weigh-in or hazards allowances for media workers by most state governments, unconducive working environment,among many others.
Annually, theOrganized Labour, at the national and state levels, use the occasion of Workers’ Day to draw attention to these challenges, demanding better and improved welfare packages for workers. Due to high inflation and economic distress, many average Nigerians experience a downturn in their living standards and can barely meet their basic needs as workers depend almost entirely on their salaries and allowances for their sustenance. Worse hit are government workers, whose meagre wages are overrun by the galloping inflation and negative impact of fuel subsidy removal by the federal government.
In his message to Nigerian workers, on this year’sWorkers’Day celebration, President Bola Tinubu promised better working conditions and fair wages for workers, saying, “The custodians of the nation’s machinery deserve a fair wage and enhanced welfare”, and that a labourer is deserving of not just any reward but fair and commensurate wages.
Tinubu, whose message was conveyed in a statement by his special adviser on Media and Publicity, AjuriNgelale, titled: “President Tinubu Salutes Nigerian Workers on May Day”, affirmed that his administration remains committed to improving the welfare of all workers, noting the various relief programmes, including the wage award and the imminent minimum wage review.
This is coming amidst a cost of living crisis considered to have resulted from hardline economic reforms pursued by the Tinubu-led administration. Tinubu had discontinued subsidies on petrol, when he assumed office on May 29, 2023, on the premise that it would save the government money for massive infrastructural expansion. He also unified the foreign exchange to curb currency arbitrage and other forms of forex malpractices, among other things.
However, the President saluted all workers, across board, who keep the candle aflame, especially for their “fidelity to the peace, progress, and development of the nation evident in their tireless efforts and patriotic zeal to keep the national engine running.”
In Akwa Ibom, the relative industrial harmony is attributable to the focused leadership of Gov Umo Eno, his workers-friendly disposition demonstrated in his passionate disposition to workers’ welfare, and the partnership role of the state council of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), led by Comrade Sunny James and Trade Union Congress (TUC), led by Comrade DominicAbang.The industrial maturity, understanding and support of labour leaders in the state, and the maturity in handling labourissues have afforded the state the comparatively prevailing industrial harmony and more gains for workers.
This year, Akwa Ibom workers marked May Day with the theme: “People First”, which is not only apt but timely and relevant.Akwa Ibom workers have always offered themselves selflessly, in extending the frontiers of progress and development of the civil service, state and nation at large. Hence prioritising their welfare is not misplaced.
Therefore, Governor Eno deserves commendationfor always putting the people of the State firstand for prioritising the welfare of Akwa Ibom workers and retirees through the 13th month salary, palliatives, regular release of funds for the payment of arrears of gratuity to retirees in the state, local government and primary school teachers, having approved the release of a total sum of N18.1 billion, in all, to defray the backlog of gratuity, within his one year in office.
Governor Eno has also approved and granted refund of outstanding 7.5 per cent contributory pension scheme, paid three months promotions arrears, released 2023 promotions, granted approval for the conduct of service examination, and invested in affordable housing units for workers in Ibiono Ibom Local Government Area, in addition to the payment of 13-month salary, and approval to recruit health workers for primary health centres in the state, among others.
On the issue of minimum wage for workers, the governor said government awaits the federal government to provide more details for the implementation of the new minimum wage for workers.
The governor had pledged during his electioneering campaigns to continue to strengthen the cords of the relationship with the Organised Labour. Today, he has not only kept the promise but has exceeded the Organised Labour’s expectations, with a promise that his government will continuously do its best to ensure that workers’ welfare receives priority attention.
There is no denying the fact that the services of Nigerian workers and their contributions to the economic and political life of the nation are immeasurable and unquantifiable. Therefore, workers must be encouraged, motivated and propelled to contribute their quota to national economy, while workers must be patriotic and dedicated to duties, shun work-related vices and put in their best in any sector they find themselves, to grow the nation’s economy.
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