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Anytime I hear the NLC call out workers to go on strike for wage increase, I always laugh. I tend to resort to laughter because it’s evident that the Labour leaders have learnt nothing so they couldn’t have forgotten anything.
You don’t give what you don’t have!
There have been at least a couple of minimum wage increments in Nigeria but at the end of the day, the workers still came out with the short end of the stick.
I belong to the school of thought that believes you can’t be applying the same solution to the same problem severally. If you keep on doing so, you definitely may not be wise!
Let’s do the basic things first.
One is we should begin practising federalism as stated in the Nigerian constitution. When we are rigid about federalism, the fiscal part of federalism will certainly be a foregone conclusion.
For instance, the constituent states of Nigeria are not by any means equally endowed. So, each state should be able to offer its own salary structure.
Of course, that brings us to the issue of mineral resources. We certainly need resource control.
Then we have to look at the issue of basic infrastructure. Why is it that we can’t have light and water 24/7 in Nigeria. Transportation and of course, roads too are part of basic infrastructure. If these are done, life will certainly be more qualitative for the employees and certainly the employers.
The way it’s going now, let’s even agree that the minimum wage is fixed at a whopping one hundred thousand naira. I know workers would enjoy it for some three months.
However, immediately after then, when actors in the informal sector of the economy have wisened up to what’s happening, you’ll then be seeing increments in house rents, transport fares and essential commodities.
Some are arguing that the pay cheques of elected officials are unholily humongous. Yes, even if we should have salary increments now, what gives anyone the impression that the situation wouldn’t be worse? After all, no salary increment could be effected without their knowledge.
Anu’mo kii f’owo nu’le!
But if we can put the salaries of public officials out for public discourse, I guess there should be a solution there. We will have them coming out to defend why they should earn much more than an average civil servant. For instance. I personally don’t think any elected public official deserves to earn more than a Permanent Secretary. Theirs should be lives of service.
As things stand now, the workers will have their minimum wage, and their lives will be permanently blissful!
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