AUSTIN OBOH
The world celebrated Workers’ day on Wednesday, May 1, and it was another opportunity for workers in Nigeria to draw attention to their plight in the light of the current hardship in the country with inflation rate at 33.20% for March 2024 and interest rate at 24.75%. Coincidentally, it is a period in which workers have been engaged in negotiations with the Federal Government on a national minimum wage. The committee set up to decide on this is yet to complete its work but the Federal Government went ahead to announce a minimum wage which has already been rejected by workers’ unions. What this mean is that the dispute over minimum wage will linger for a while until there is an agreement.
The NLC and the TUC have at various times called on the administration of President Bola Tinubu to hasten the upward review of wage awards. Recently, the Organised Labour demanded N615,000 as the new minimum wage for workers to cope with the present economic realities and high cost of living in Nigeria.
The labour unions said the current minimum wage of N30,000 could no longer cater for the wellbeing of an average Nigerian worker, lamenting that not all governors are paying the current wage award which expired in April, five years after the Minimum Wage Act of 2019 was signed by former President Muhammadu Buhari. The Act is to be reviewed every five years to meet up with contemporary economic demands of workers.
Earlier in January, the Federal Government inaugurated a 37-man Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage with a mandate to recommend a new National Minimum Wage for the country but the recommendations of the committee have not been implemented by the government.
The unions continue to insist that inflation has affected the cost of living for an average Nigerian worker, noting that state governors can afford to pay every public servant because they now get more monthly revenue allocation by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC).
Despite the clamour for the new minimum wage, not all the 36 state governors currently pay their workers the current minimum wage of N30,000. In March, at an event in Niger State, President Tinubu urged governors to pay workers in their state wage award till negotiations on new minimum wage were concluded.
DEMAND FOR LIVING WAGE
On Tuesday, the Federal Government approved a salary increase of between 25% and 35% for civil servants on the remaining six Consolidated Salary Structures. A spokesperson for the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission (NSIWC), Emmanuel Njoku, said the increment takes effect from January 1st, 2024.
The Salary Structure includes the Consolidated Public Service Salary Structure (CONPSS), Consolidated Research and Allied Institutions Salary Structure (CONRAISS), Consolidated Police Salary Structure (CONPOSS), Consolidated Para-military Salary Structure (CONPASS), Consolidated Intelligence Community Salary Structure (CONICCS) and Consolidated Armed Forces Salary Structure (CONAFSS).
On Wednesday, President Bola Tinubu said the Federal Government would announce a new “living wage” for the Nigerian workers soon. Tinubu stated this in a message to mark the International Workers’ Day celebration at the Eagle Square. The president hailed Nigerian workers for their fidelity to the peace, progress, and development of the nation.
Tinubu, who was represented at the event by Vice-President Kashim Shettima, said the tripartite committee on a new minimum wage did not reach a consensus before May Day.
He said: “You would recall that on January 30th, 2024, the Federal Government convened a 37-member Tripartite Committee on Minimum Wage. The committee’s mandate was to provide counsel and suggest a national minimum wage that aligns with our current economic conditions.
“Since then, the committee, in collaboration with labour leaders, has been diligently working towards proposing a new National Minimum Wage. Unfortunately, despite concerted efforts, the committee was unable to reach a consensus at its last meeting. This shall be resolved soon and I assure you that your days of worrying are over.”
Recall that the organised labour has insisted on a new living wage of N615,000 for workers. But, in his address, Tinubu said he was open to the idea of a living wage — as opposed to a minimum wage.
“Indeed, this government is open to the committee’s suggestion of not just a minimum wage but a living wage,” he said.
He added: “Great Nigerian Workers, we cannot achieve a just and equitable society that caters to the needs of every member, including the strong and the weak, without fostering peace and unity. Our shared vision for national growth and development can only be realised in an atmosphere of industrial harmony and peaceful coexistence in every segment of our country. Dividends we have promised the nation, and which you work tirelessly to ensure, can only be achieved when we all unite for progress. On this momentous day, I urge you and all our fellow citizens to place your trust in this administration. The seeds of greatness planted in our nation are beginning to bear fruit, and they promise a future filled with hope and bound by prosperity.
“Let me assure you, with the utmost sincerity, that every initiative undertaken by this administration is geared towards transforming Nigeria into a nation that can truly provide for its people. So, I call upon each and every one of you, as I have consistently done, to join hands in shaping the destiny of our nation towards greatness. Our allegiance and patriotism are the bedrock upon which our beloved country thrives. The success of our government’s policies and programmes hinges on the willingness of the workers, as the backbone of our workforce, to embrace them wholeheartedly. I appeal to you to continue using the power of the labour movement for the greater good of our nation, fostering harmony and cooperation. Once more, I extend my heartfelt congratulations on this successful Workers’ Day celebration, and I wish you all joyous festivities.”
Organised labour has given the Federal Government until May to finalise the process of implementing the new national minimum wage for workers. President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, made the demand on Wednesday in Abuja at this year’s edition of International Workers Day.
This year’s celebration focuses on “Ensuring Safety and Health at Work in a Changing Climate.”
Ajaero said the process of fixing a new national minimum wage was still ongoing and had witnessed robust engagements.
His words: “All parties in the tripartite process are well represented, and the engagement has been robust. We have placed our demand of N615,000 only before our social partners while we await their offer. If, however, the negotiation of the minimum wage is not concluded by the end of May, the trade union movement in Nigeria will no longer guarantee industrial peace in the country.”
Ajaero also said labour had placed a demand that the new Act would have a two-year life span with an agreement for automatic adjustments in wages any time inflation exceeded 7.5 per cent. He said the union further demanded that every employer with up to five workers should pay the new minimum wage.
Ajaero called for the strengthening of monitoring and compliance mechanisms to penalise non-complying state governments, noting that Nigerian workers deserved to have a national minimum wage that approximated a living wage.
“Our figures are based on objective realities around the nation and not on some fantasy; but on what confronts us as workers around the nation. We want to be able to buy food stuff, housing, among others. Any wage that is below this living wage condemns workers to starvation,” he said.
Ajaero, however, urged workers to remain vigilant as negotiations were approaching conclusion.
“We must not let our guards down but be alert so that together we can assist government take the right decision and pay workers a living wage as promised by Mr. President. We will not allow our interests to sabotage the desire of the president concerning a living wage for workers,” he added.
The NLC president also said that there was a need to review the Contributory Pension Scheme, pointing out that there had been complaints about the scheme, such as delay or non-transmission of contributed money to Pension Fund Administration, among others.
Ajaero also called for the reactivation of gratuities for public servants and an upward review of the retirement age in the entire public service from 60 to 65 years and 35 years to 40 years in service, just as was done for teachers and judges.
CONSOLIDATED SALARY STRUCTURE
The Federal Government had, on the eve of Workers’ Day, approved a pay rise of between 25 and 35 per cent for civil servants across various consolidated salary structures.
A statement signed by the Head of Press, National Salaries, Incomes, and Wages Commission (NSIWC), Emmanuel Njoku, said the increases took effect from January 1, 2024. But the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) said the announcement was “a waste of time.”
In a newspaper interview, the NLC Assistant General Secretary, Chris Onyeka, said the commission did not have powers to fix national minimum wage. “What they pretend to have done is a waste of time. It does not amount to anything for us and those in the federal civil service,” Onyeka said.
Njoku’s statement said the augmentation applies to the six remaining consolidated salary structures, namely the Consolidated Public Service Salary Structure (CONPSS), Consolidated Research and Allied Institutions Salary Structure (CONRAISS), Consolidated Police Salary Structure (CONPOSS), Consolidated Paramilitary Salary Structure (CONPASS), Consolidated Intelligence Community Salary Structure (CONICCS), and Consolidated Armed Forces Salary Structure (CONAFSS).
It added that the Federal Government had also approved pension increases ranging from 20% to 28% for pensioners enrolled in the Defined Benefits Scheme within the aforementioned consolidated salary structures, with the same effective date.
Previously, salary increases were implemented for tertiary education and health, among them the Consolidated University Academic Salary Structure (CONUASS), Consolidated Tertiary Institutions Salary Structure (CONTISS), Consolidated Polytechnics and Colleges of Education Academic Staff Salary Structure (CONPCASS), Consolidated Tertiary Educational Institutions Salary Structure (CONTEDISS), Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS), and Consolidated Health Sector Salary Structure (CONHESS).
When contacted to shed more light on the statement he issued hours to the May Day, Njoku said there was no wrong time for workers to benefit from government policies. He also confirmed that the government would pay the arrears of the backlogs from January.
Njoku added that the increment was different from the multi-stakeholders committee headed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator George Akume.
However, some senior government functionaries and security officials, who spoke in confidence, told Daily Trust that the announcement by NSIWC was to avert an impending embarrassment.
Meanwhile, former Vice President and Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, has claimed that no government in the history of the country had trampled upon the rights of workers like the present administration.
Atiku, in a statement to commemorate the International Workers’ Day, described present development as “Sobering truth that the plight of the Nigerian worker remains dire.”
The PDP chieftain noted that despite pledges by the government, “The much talked-about prospects of wage increment for the Nigerian worker remains a mirage. Every dawn unveils renewed hardships and harsh living conditions.”
He said even though the government said the “Petrol subsidy is purportedly gone; yet its impact lingers – revealing the ineptitude of the current federal government.”
SOLIDARITY MESSAGES
Atiku said: “Since the days of legend Pa Michael Imoudu, to later day fire brands such as Pascal Bafyau and Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, the Nigerian worker has been at the forefront of the fight against tyranny and bad governance.
“No administration in our history has trampled workers’ rights like this one. Daily, workers face uncertainty over skyrocketing prices of essential goods.
“The Nigerian worker has had it so rough under this current administration and it is unfortunate that while the living conditions of the Nigerian worker remain at a miserably low ebb, the Nigerian government continues to regale its international audiences with tales of how the masses are being weaned of their wasteful dependence on government.”
Similarly, the presidential candidate of the Labour Party, LP in the 2023 general elections, Peter Obi, has commended Nigerian Workers for their resilience and doggedness in the quest to build a better Nigeria.
Obi said in a letter to workers to mark the 2024 edition of Worker’s Day. May 1st every year is recognised worldwide as a day set aside to celebrate all categories of workers.
The Labour Party standard bearer assured Nigerian workers of his avowed commitment to standing with them and identifying with their struggles for a better society.
In the letter, Obi expressed pride Nigerian workers have continued to defy the odds by standing tall in their commitment to a better nation in the face of adversity.
He wrote, “As we come together to celebrate Workers’ Day, I am filled with an overwhelming sense of pride and admiration for each and every one of you who continue to stand tall and steadfast in your commitment to building our great nation, even in the face of adversity and challenges.
“Today, as we honor the hard work, dedication, and resilience of workers across the country and beyond, I am reminded of the incredible strength and spirit that defines us as a people.
“Despite the countless obstacles and hurdles that may stand in our way, you, the backbone of our society, remain unwavering in your resolve to contribute to the growth and development of our beloved nation.
“From the bustling streets of Lagos to the serene villages of the North, from the bustling markets of Onitsha to the bustling ports of Port Harcourt, your labor forms the foundation upon which our nation stands.
“Whether you are toiling in the fields under the scorching sun or laboring in factories amidst the hum of machinery, your efforts are the lifeblood of our economy and the driving force behind our progress.
“But beyond the tangible contributions you daily make to our nation’s development, it is your unwavering patriotism, resilience, and determination that truly inspire us all.
“In the face of economic hardships, political uncertainties, and social injustices, you continue to stand your ground, holding fast to your belief in a brighter future for our country.”
The former Anambra State Governor further said, “I stand with you in solidarity, championing your cause and advocating for your rights. I recognize the sacrifices you make each and every day to provide for your families, support your communities, and contribute to the collective well-being of our nation.
“Today, as we celebrate Workers’ Day, let us reaffirm our commitment to one another and to the ideals of unity, justice, and equality for all. Let us take pride in our achievements, draw strength from our collective resilience, and rededicate ourselves to the noble cause of building a better, more prosperous Nigeria for generations to come.
“Lastly, I extend my heartfelt gratitude and admiration to each and every one of you for your unwavering dedication, patriotism, and sacrifice. Your labor is the cornerstone of our nation’s prosperity, and your contributions will forever be cherished and celebrated.
“Truly, as our anthem reaffirms, the labor of you our perpetual heroes shall indeed never be in vain. Happy Workers’ Day, my fellow compatriots!”
FROM OPPOSITION’S ANGLE
On its part, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), while congratulating Nigerian workers on this Year’s International Workers’ Day, charged them to resist all anti-people tendencies seeking to compromise and undermine the democratic tenets of freedom, Rule of Law, accountability and probity in the country.
National Publicity Secretary of the party, Hon. Debo Ologunagba, said this in a statement, in Abuja, on Wednesday.
He said: “The PDP salutes Nigerian workers for remaining steadfast as real drivers of the national economy despite the asphyxiating and life-discounting conditions occasioned by the ill-implemented economic and fiscal policies of the All Progressives Congress (APC) administration.
“Our Party is deeply distraught that Nigerian workers and indeed millions of other citizens have, in the last nine years been subjected to misery, harrowing economic hardship and worsening insecurity by the rudderless and insensitive APC administrations, which have wrecked the nation’s productive sectors and brought distress to our national life.
“The PDP particularly condemns the continuing increase in electricity tariff and price of petroleum products with petrol now selling at over N1000 per liter in various parts of the country; a situation that has resulted in astronomical increase in the cost of living and worsened the economic hardship in the country.
“As the party of the people, the PDP demands that the APC-led Federal Government ends its insensitivity towards Nigerians and use the occasion of the Workers’ Day to review all its retrogressive policies and take urgent action towards addressing issues that have direct bearing to the welfare of the citizens.
“The PDP however urges Nigerian workers and indeed all citizens not to give up hope but remain steadfast in their commitment towards a stable, united and prosperous nation, especially at this challenging time.
“The party celebrates the workers and wishes them a happy Workers’ Day celebration.”
The dispute over minimum wage is far from being over since workers have rejected the 25% and 35% increase announced by the Federal Government. And since President Tinubu has agreed with workers that they deserved living wage rather than minimum wage, workers across the country await the final decision from the matter, possibly after the Commission set up for the purpose has submitted its report.
