As Nigerians join the rest of the world to celebrate workers’ contribution to national economy, on 2023 International Workers’Day, the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), Lagos State Council, has plaintively recounted the miseries of workers in Lagos state in particular and Nigeria at large in the last one year.
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Speaking on the occasion, the Chairman of the Lagos state Council of the Association, Comrade Gbenga Ekundayo, maintained that the undue pains suffered by workers across Nigeria and Lagos particularly not only slowed productivity in their respective sectors but affected their mental, emotional and psychological well-being.
“Today we review our social contracts with employers of labour and the sacrosanctity of our rights as workers, decent living, dignity in labour, welfare conditions, fair wages, enabling work environment, social justice, economic fairness and the totality of the rights of the working people.
“We are survivors of yet another mindless assault of the neo-liberal, ultra-capitalist, parasitic and predatory political class. We survived the twin assault of deliberate fuel scarcity and cash crisis unleashed on us by the insensitive political class.
“Last year, in December, while in festive mood, we were equally in restive mood as there was no fuel to commute to, and from work and there was no cash to purchase basic human needs. They abducted our hard-earned money and showed no care. Lagos was the worst hit and most ravaged by the obnoxious policy. It was a wanton violation of the people’s right”
The TUC chairman affirmed that about 45% of informal businesses within the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) in Lagos were rendered helplessly desolate within the first 25 days of the cash crisis, garbed in currency swap, adding that Lagosians were plunged further into extreme poverty, hunger, misery and agony.
Ekundayo called on the Lagos state government to considers deliberate policies targeted at alleviating poverty and cushioning the effect of the ill-timed policy on MSMEs and support the most vulnerable in Lagos State.
Rising prices of food and high cost of living has been unbearable. Lagos workers are currently groaning under high prices of food items in the market. Hyper-inflation, skyrocketed prices of goods and services have been regular features in Lagos. The gains of the salary increments have been eroded by rising cost of food.
“We ask, where is the economic justice in this? In the face of the humongous wealth created by the workers, they continue to wallow in entrenched poverty. A worker who has spent 35 years in service remains poor post-retirement while a political appointee with little prior experience remains stinkingly rich ever after. Where is the socio-economic justice in this? We enjoin Mr. Governor to improve on food security as kick-started in Imota Rice mill and remove all inhibitors of economic justice for workers.”
On transportation, he decried the level of agony, saying, “Commuting to and from work in Lagos has increasingly become a nightmare for workers in the State. Rising transport fares and inadequate number of BRT buses have conspired to deprive and socially exclude our members from the dividends of state initiated reforms in the transportation sector.
“The situation has drastically imperilled workers’ productivity and watered down our living standard. We must place it on record that the 50% discount given to Lagosians on all State owned commercial transportation system came at the nick of time to help cushion the harsh reality of that moment caused by CBN’s ill-timed economic policy.
“We eagerly await the commencement of operations of the Blue and Red rail lines. These, combined with quality water transportation and good road networks that require clean and secured waterways, boats, roads and buses, will go a long way to ameliorate the impact of transportation on workers’ health and purse”
He commend the LAGRIDE initiative of the state, however, observed with dismay that beneficiaries of the scheme were exploited by various stakeholders who are only interested in the ‘commission’ (petty money) they get from the operations of the scheme and not the welfare of the drivers. He urged the governor to beam searchlight into the LAGRIDE scheme following unacceptable practices capable of derailing and ruining the whole scheme.
Still on the sorrows of Nigeria workers, TUC bemoaned the epileptic power supply which has made some manufacturing companies to close down or relocated from Nigeria due to underperformance of energy generating and distribution companies, noting that even the seat of power is not immune from this electricity challenge.
“While it is true that the issue of power generation, transmission and distribution have passed through several reforms in recent times, a State like Lagos cannot continue to rely on the failed National power grid because no economy can truly develop and create opportunities without adequate power supply. Thank God for the new bill that was recently signed into Law by Mr. President taking the electricity matters off the Exclusive Legislative List. This means that State Governments can now generate, transmit and distribute power to their people.
“A lot of businesses, business ideas and employment opportunities lie prostate in the nation because of poor power supply. We therefore call on the State Government to prioritise electricity supply in order to create opportunities for the large population of the state. The State needs to creatively find practicable solution to the menace of power inadequacy”
On removal of fuel subsidy, he added that the hydra -headed monster has remained in public discuss for decades, yet no sustainable solution in sight to the perennial embarrassing paradox. “There is no doubting the fact that the removal of fuel subsidy will obviously usher in a new era of mass poverty in the country due to some of its immediate negative consequences on salary and wages earners.
“While this issue has its merits and demerits according to various interest groups, the most critical factor in the conversation remains the ordinary Nigerians. Lagos State being the most populated part of the country and the commercial nerve of the country will obviously bear majority of the brunt of post fuel subsidy removal. The question is, what are the palliatives being put in place to cushion the effect on Lagosians should the Federal Government go ahead to remove fuel subsidy.
“As organised Labour, we strongly believe that certain conditions must be met before a decision as critical as subsidy removal is contemplated so that the government does not hurriedly push more Nigerians into poverty. We are of the view that the incoming administration first of all study the situation critically, consult widely and put adequate measures in place before embarking on such sensitive policy that is capable of creating serious challenges for all of us.
“All critical stakeholders must and should be properly carried along and the stakeholders must remain patriotic with clear focus on sustainable future for all. The ruling class must convince Nigerians of the need to buckle up by example. The ruling class cannot continue their chosen lifestyle of opulence in the midst poverty and expect the average Nigerian to accept the pain of removing the seeming single benefit that directly impacts the cost of goods and services in the country.
Source-The Sun Nigeria
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