Govt shouldn’t ignore pain of its people

Mr. Kayode Martins, the head of the Nigeria Labour Congress chapter in Oyo State, talks with Daniel Ayantoye about the state’s workers’ protest and other topics.

Currently, Nigerians are going through unspeakable misery. How are your members dealing with the difficulties?

Despite the government’s efforts to implement certain palliative measures, we are not finding it easy. To mitigate the impact of the elimination of fuel subsidies, for instance, there is the option of subsidizing the cost of transportation by deploying certain mass transit buses. Thank you for that. The national minimum wage debate needs to be resolved in real-time because the cost of living has increased, but there are still some other things that are still expected. In a nutshell, coping is difficult.

Your state participated in the recent nationwide demonstration, which wasn’t the first one to occur in Nigeria. What distinguishes this one?

The committee charged with developing a new minimum wage has been instructed to move more quickly in light of all the actions that the federal and state governments, as well as both, are taking. The government shouldn’t try to avoid the necessity of raising the minimum wage in order to reduce hunger.

Were your demands met after the demonstration?

We thank God that we have been able to resolve this amicably at the state level. The authorities understood the motivation for our protests. At the national level, the government has paid attention to the concerns of Labor and is addressing some of our demands. We’re hoping that some of our requests will be granted.

Unremitted deductions and low pay were two problems in the state that sparked the protest. Inform us about this.

Out of the approximately six months of unpaid (deductions), the government has compensated for four months. The remaining payment for the last two months was due by the end of August, they guaranteed. They have distributed promotion letters and other materials. We are aware that every conflict is a win-win for all parties, and this time, we were successful in getting more of what we asked for.

A civil servant reportedly suffered injuries and beatings during the protest because he defied the NLC’s orders. Do you believe that was required?

The fact that the man has not yet been identified as an employee makes me believe that the incident involved a plot. During the strike, he claimed to have eaten at the canteen inside the secretariat while the office was empty. So, no canteen was made available. Then a man carrying a recorder emerged from a hiding location. I told the camera that it was all a setup and that we wouldn’t dance to it. If you think about it, how did he obtain entry into the secretariat, it was nothing but a drama.

According to a research, some pensioners in the state receive relatively meager pensions. How accurate is this, and what is the lowest amount?

The government included the retirees in the committee as a result of one of our protests. They are developing a better solution. At the South-West Congress of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, it was proposed that the minimum pay for all retirees be N40,000. Every time Oyo State has the opportunity to interact with the government, we make sure to represent the interests of the employees and pensioners.

Prince Dotun Oyelade, the state’s commissioner for information and orientation, responded to the protest by claiming that the state’s financial difficulties make it difficult for the state government to pay its employees’ salaries. How do you interpret that?

Since that goes against what we agreed upon with the governor and since the governor is a man of his word, I will accept it. An hour prior, I had a conversation with the Commissioner for Information, and shortly after, he went on broadcast and said something unrelated to what we had talked. I thus don’t believe any of what he says.

Do you believe that the government can accommodate the needs of the workforce?

The administration has invited us to a round table where they have told us everything. Sincere in his dealings with us, he has appointed a committee to help us determine the appropriate increment based on the amount of internal and federally generated money. We are prepared to put in all of our effort to improve the state’s labor market without harming any individual citizens.

He added that more than 2,000 government employees received promotions. How accurate is that?

They claimed to have distributed letters during the conflict, but none of our members have received one as of the time of this writing.

What is the state’s deficiency in promotion arrears now, prior to the distribution of the letters?

2021, 2022, and 2023 are available. Promotions were due for certain people in 2021 and for others in 2022. Employees at top levels have three years, while lesser employees have two years. Our three exceptional years have an impact on every employee in some way. When you’ve earned a promotion after three years of excellence, all employees are involved.

What amount do you believe the minimum wage for employees and pensioners should be in light of the current economic climate?

Instead of discussing minimum pay, let’s speak about living wage. It is terrible that Nigerians pay less than citizens of its neighbors. It is insufficient. You won’t believe it, but the minimum wage in Nigeria is only about $50. The minimum wage should be over $400. Senegal and Algeria are two African nations that contribute between $200 and $350.

Do you believe Nigeria is as wealthy as those nations, despite the fact that it seems the government lacks the necessary resources?

Who informed you that we lack the necessary capacity? Why do you pay your senators the highest salaries anywhere in the world? Therefore, the government lacks the competence to serve the needs of the general populace. Is it true that you claim there is no money in the treasury but that in a few months you will start yelling that billions have been stolen? The government needs to set the appropriate priorities.

What amount do you believe the minimum wage ought to be?

I abide by popular desire. At least for the time being, a family man needs at least N200,000 a month to survive in Nigeria, and retirees must receive a corresponding raise. We operate in the same market, so your compensation as a pensioner must be comparable to that of your coworker at the same level.

For instance, a person who retired 20 years ago and received compensation based on that time should not receive the same amount under the current circumstances. That pay level has decreased due to inflation. Therefore, the pension must be modified to reflect the current economic situation.

During his recent address to the country, President Bola Tinubu made numerous promises, but some people have already voiced their displeasure at the delays in delivering on those pledges. What do you think about this?

It won’t be the first time, either. Once defeated, twice shy, according to a saying. Every time they join the team in that way, you hear them speak to us with sugar-coated words about wanting to take serious actions that could hurt you now, but will benefit you afterwards. Therefore, the people as a whole are to blame. Why are the general public receiving this? Nobody objected when the President removed the fuel subsidies, but you shouldn’t kill a fly with a sledgehammer, therefore he should make the required arrangements to lessen the impact of doing so. He just declared the withdrawal of the subsidy, despite the fact that he has not yet hired anyone. A few hours later, the GMD of NNPCL announced that the price of gasoline had increased to N185 to N500, and that everyone was enjoying a good time.

Do you believe the promises made during the speech would be beneficial?

That is, if they are prepared to keep their end of the bargain. It will undoubtedly be beneficial. But as you are aware, numerous governments will propose numerous programs and pledges, but the issue arises when it comes to implementation. We hope everything turns out for the best. We are not hostile to the government. We hope that their policies are effective because we live here.

What do you think about claims that the NLC has devolved into a limp dog?

They frequently mention the 2012 rally, where people like Lai Mohammed, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, former President Muhammadu Buhari, Festus Keyamo, Tunde Bakare, and others participated. In a nutshell, the opposing party fueled the 2012 demonstration. The opposition party is now absent from Nigeria. In Nigeria, we confuse matters. We anticipate that labor unions will carry out oppositional tasks. We also discovered that the opposition fuelled the 2012 rally, and we don’t permit such again. We are a pressure group, not an opposition party, so let them do their thing.

There have been accusations that Labour has no other means of expressing its discontent except through a strike. Does the NLC have any other options?

Only in this region of the world would they refuse to carry out their obligations under an agreement until you go on strike. And no one holds the government accountable for that. For instance, every nation in the globe is dealing with the issue of salary increases. Before foreign workers take any action, they will put accords that their governments and labor unions have signed into effect. The Nigerian government has made it obvious that it would not grant you what is properly yours unless you demonstrate or go on strike. You always see us going on strike because of this.

How would you characterize the caliber of the incoming ministers?

I wouldn’t put the President to blame. I see it as an opportunity for retribution for people who helped him win the presidential election in some way, but that won’t bode well given the current circumstances. Better hands and individuals with the ability to change this nation’s fortunes for the better are what we need right now to get the country out of the situation in which we found ourselves. The idea that the same individuals who got us here will get us out of this crisis is an illusion if you surround yourself with them.

Does what you said not imply that there is a problem in this country?

I believe you’re speaking now. It’s not a sign of impending disaster, but rather a reminder that we must remain resilient. The majority of them have one or more issues to resolve, and I don’t anticipate any success on their part.

How might raising employee pay further improve the nation’s economic situation?

Any amount paid out as a salary on a monthly basis indirectly affects the market, and if the government withholds a salary, the market and economy are affected. One lie the government occasionally tells the populace is, “Don’t worry the workers, are they the only ones?” Paying the workers will have an effect on the craftspeople and market women. Raising the minimum wage is the primary means of aiding the general populace because it indirectly stimulates the economy. No matter what program the government implements, if it does not end the suffering of the majority, it is a waste of time and money. Because of the suffering of the populace, the government exists. We instructed them to operate the refineries. Let’s have the smaller refineries instead of the larger ones if you can’t. Someone like you could be able to produce 100 liters and benefit your neighborhood if they have the necessary licenses and permissions. But the government merely messes around with it since they stand to gain from these problems. Many of them are only pretending to be amiable toward others while actually having oil blocks. They are the actual state’s foes.

The NNPCL just acquired a $3 billion repayment loan, as we recently learned, to stabilize the naira. What do you think about it?

However, the issue in this nation has always been that due to the level of corruption, you cannot trust Nigerian officials when it comes to money because they are not serious. We hope that everything turns out as they had planned and had led us to believe. We urge the administration to take all necessary steps to ease the suffering of the people as soon as possible. It’s gotten out of hand already. Nigerians have a very long temper; otherwise, what happened in other nations would not be this bad. You shouldn’t assume anything about Nigerians.

What makes you believe that the governor finds it challenging to grant local government autonomy?

We cannot have a better society as long as we do not permit the three tiers of government to function independently. The LG system is the one that is closest to the public. The state government’s principal duty is to oversee them rather than manage their operations. How can you claim that you are managing their affairs while the local government leaders lack competence? If you are capable of leading the local government, resign as governor and run for chairman of the local government instead. If they (local government chairmen) misuse the funds, you pursue legal action against them.