Editorial
Suspended Labour strike, gains and losses
The suspended Labour strike in Nigeria may have come and gone, but not without ripples, positive or negative. Though Nigerians, especially workers had braced up to a marathon industrial action with the Federal Government, but the action was short-lived.
The sudden suspension of what supposed to have been long lasting industrial action barely two days to its commencement, was to say the least unexpected. It is not as if labour or anyone likes industrial showdown with the Federal Government, but when it becomes inevitable, why not?
Labour all over the world, as a pressure group pressures for the welfare of its members and by extension, the citizenry. So it is not out of place, when labour once a while shakes the table. If for nothing else, it has attracted the required attention of government and other relevant authorities.
For instance, President Ahmed Bola Tinubu has directed the Minister of Finance, Wale Edun to forward whatever is agreed by the tripartite negotiation committee for immediate implementation within two weeks. That is an achievement on its own right! As to whether the aim of the strike was achieved is discussion for another day.
According to the statement announcing the suspension of the strike, duly endorsed by the duo of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President, Comrd Joe Ajero and his Trade Union Congress (TUC) counterpart, Comrd Festus Osifo, the suspension was to allow meaningful negotiations with the Federal Government continue and possibly be concluded.
It’s easier said than done, the world is watching. One must be patient and wait till the end of the race. The Organised Labour as they call it was originally demanding for a minimum wage of N615,000 per month, which they reduced to N494,000, but the Federal Government offered N48,000 and later increased it to N60,000.
Labour vehemently rejected it and insisted on N494,000, which they called a ‘living wage.’ The National Assembly and some Nigerians have described labour’s demand as unrealistic. It also important to mention that some state governments up to date have not implemented the last N30,000 minimum wage increment, not to mention further pushing it up to N494,000 or N60,000 as the case may be.
No matter how we look at it, whether the strike lasted for two days, one hour or more, the fact remains that there was a stalemate on the socio-economic life of the nation. This amounted to hundred upon millions of Naira loss in economic terms. There was also loss of manhours and other inconveniences meted on the citizenry. For instance, educational system was interrupted as schools were shut down abruptly..
A survey conducted nationwide during the aborted strike shows that all the banks and other public offices were closed as the industrial action lasted. But the question is if labour had no gut to embark on a strike, be it warning or indefinite why play on the intelligence of Nigerians? How on earth does labour think a whopping sum of N494,000 minimum wage can be realised, when most state governments blatantly refuse to pay a paltry sum of N30,000 and nothing happened.
An indefinite strike called off after two days raises concerns about why such action was embarked on in the first place. Negotiation would have continued instead without interrupting other processes. It is equally important to tell labour that no wage can be ‘living’ when hyperinflation is holding sway in any given society. The reason is that as the government increases workers’ salaries, shylock traders are waiting to collect same from them, through hike in prices of goods and services.
What labour, therefore, should have asked is stable economic policies that could engender low cost of living, and by so doing strengthen the purchasing power of workers. Again more emphasis could have been laid on compelling the federal government to bring back the refineries and cut down prices of petroleum products, which triggered off high cost of living in the country.
N30,000 can still be qualified as minimum wage, if cost of living is low, to the extent that goods and services are within the reach of an average Nigerian. We are suggesting and strongly too that cost of governance should be reduced, no matter how. A Senator cannot be going home with more than N2 million basic monthly pay with other frivolous allowances and an average Nigerian cannot eat two square meals in a day.
The memory is still fresh in our minds, when over 700 lawmakers each bought SUVs worth over N160 million. Worse, they were all imported. How does one reconcile that? Until we do the right thing, agitations will continue. That is not our prayer anyway!
The recent rescue of 11 young Nigerian girls from the clutches of human traffickers in Ghana is a depravity that lurks in the shadows of our society.
The victims, aged 14 to 18, were lured with promises of restaurant jobs, only to be forced into prostitution and subjected to ritual oaths.
This heinous crime is an indictment of our collective failure to protect the vulnerable and a moral decadence that pervades our society.
The fact that the victims were transported from Lagos to Ghana without international passports, and ferried by boats and roads, speaks to the brazen nature of the traffickers and the lack of effective border control.
The involvement of family members, as revealed by the twins and the alleged mastermind’s brother, adds a disturbing layer of complexity to this case.
The arrest and detention of the alleged culprit are welcome developments, but more needs to be done to tackle the scourge of human trafficking.
Our government must work tirelessly to strengthen border control, collaborate with international agencies, and provide support services for victims. We must also confront the societal issues that drive human trafficking, such as poverty, lack of education, and unemployment.
As a society, we must acknowledge the role we play in perpetuating this cycle of exploitation. We must recognise the value and dignity of every human life and work towards creating a society that is just and equitable for all.
The fight against human trafficking requires a collective effort, and we must all play our part in eradicating this blight on our collective conscience.
Child trafficking in Nigeria has long been a pervasive issue, encompassing not only sex trafficking but also forcing children into strenuous labour. According to UNICEF, children have been victims of this heinous practice for years, with reports highlighting Nigeria’s role as a source, transit, and destination country for trafficked children.
The NAPTIP/UNICEF Situation Assessment of Child Trafficking in Southern Nigeria in 2004 revealed alarming statistics: 46 percent of victims repatriated from external trafficking were children, predominantly exploited in prostitution, domestic labour, forced labour, and entertainment. Internally, children were trafficked for purposes including forced labour, domestic work, and prostitution.
Recent efforts have seen collaboration between Nigeria and neighbouring countries like Gabon, Cameroon, Niger, Italy, Spain, Benin Republic, and Saudi Arabia to combat this scourge. For instance, a joint operation by UNICEF in Nigeria and Benin Republic rescued over 500 children from granite quarries between October and December 2003, facilitating their safe return home.
Despite these efforts, the persistence of child trafficking underscores the urgent need for strengthened international cooperation, comprehensive legislative measures, and robust enforcement to protect vulnerable children and eradicate this egregious violation of human rights.
The increasing number of repatriations from foreign countries, including the UK, Italy, Netherlands, USA, Belgium, Ireland, Saudi Arabia, and South Africa, highlights the severity of the issue.
The false promise of employment, vocational training, or marriage continues to lure Nigerian girls into trafficking for prostitution.
Despite growing awareness, many children still fall prey to traffickers, often with the connivance of family members who prioritise financial gain over their children’s well-being.
The root causes of this crisis are multifaceted, including escalating poverty, lack of opportunities, eroded family values, and the allure of foreign exchange.
While poverty plays a role, it is equally concerning that some parents and guardians have become complicit in the trafficking of their children, driven by greed and a get-rich-quick mentality.
The existence of private transit camps in coastal states, where children are forced into labour and prostitution, is a disturbing indicator of the country’s systemic collapse.
The government must take decisive action to address these issues, including strengthening law enforcement, providing support services for victims, and addressing the socioeconomic factors driving human trafficking.
The repatriation of victims from Ghana is a wake-up call for Nigeria to confront its moral and systemic failures. It is time for the country to prioritise the well-being and safety of its citizens, particularly vulnerable children, and to address the greed and corruption that perpetuate human trafficking.
The spotlight now shines brightly on the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), known for its past successes yet facing an urgent need to become more proactive in combating this pervasive issue.
Simultaneously, the National Orientation Agency (NOA) is urged not just to raise awareness but to adopt a more assertive approach in its campaigns against such abhorrent crimes. Collaboration with traditional leaders is deemed essential to amplify the impact of their efforts.
Amidst calls for thorough investigation, likened to high-profile cases like that of Epstein in the United States, the urgency for unearthing every facet of this organised crime is emphasised.
It’s a crime involving influential figures, demanding nothing less than a comprehensive probe to ensure justice prevails and all perpetrators are held accountable.
Moreover, the involvement of ministries such as Foreign Affairs and Women Affairs is underscored, highlighting the necessity for concerted efforts with NAPTIP to pursue justice vigorously.
Sweeping this case under the carpet is not an option; instead, it must serve as a deterrent while fulfilling the government’s solemn duty to safeguard its youth and secure a safer future for generations to come.
Since 1979 when the Ajaokuta Steel Industry project was started by the Alh Shehu Shagari administration, having signed the contract with a Russian firm in 1976, one would have expected the vision and mission of the project to have been long accomplished by now.
With initial cost put at $1bn, which has reverally reviewed over the years to well over N49bn.
But that was not to be, for reasons best known to our leaders. The project when completed is expected to provide over 40,000 direct jobs and countless indirect ones.
The core mandate for conceiving the project by the then Shagari Government was to supply materials for infrastructural development and eventual industrialisation of the country.
Established on 24,000 hectares of land in Kogi State, the rolling mill and integrated iron and steel plant, was equally targeted at earning foreign exchange for Nigeria.
This is a project that was said to be 84 percent completed in 1983 and 98 percent completed in 1994,but regrettably 30 years down the line the project remains uncompleted.
What could be the reasons adduced for this monumental failure on the part of the successive administrations. A lack of funds was one of the reasons put forward by Nigerian governments for failing to deliver this all-important project, but the country can easily buy SUVs at N160m each for over 800 members of the National Assembly, without recourse to the impulse of Nigerians.
The country can seamlessly pay its senators higher than their counterparts across the globe, but to finish a project that can turnaround the fortune of its citizens, there is no fund.
How do we situate this kind of attitude or character? Does this in any way suggest patriotism or statesmanship? We leave the answer for the people. The superficial reason for non-completion of the Ajaokuta Steel Industry project is that of lack of political will, corruption and possibly hidden agenda, driven by parochial ideology on the part of leaders of this great country.
We can as well not rule out neocolonialism, suggesting that technology cannot be transferred. The reason is simple. If I give you my heart, what will I use to breathe? This simply means that I cannot allow you to suffocate me to death in the name of doing good. Russia and other industrialised countries thrive on science and technology, so would they now transfer their mainstay to us for a pittance?
Technology is hardly transferable, you can only develop your own or steal it from anywhere. It is better and safer to develop a homegrown technology that can easily be serviced and managed locally. And the earlier we wake up, put our thinking caps right, the better for us.
The way forward is to complete the age-long Ajaokuta Steel Industry project, no matter what it takes. The reason is that the vision of the founding fathers that conceived the lofty idea of the Ajaokuta Steel Industry remains germane, several years after their regime.
Also, in line with the ‘renewed hope agenda’ of President Ahmed Bola Tinubu, the finances of the protracted Ajaokuta Steel Industry project should be probed. Let the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) thoroughly look into this matter, to ascertain who took what as regards to the project.
If we cannot punish the looters, at least we can name and shame them. There is no reason why Nigeria should remain a toddler in the 21st century, having gotten her independence in 1960.
There is nothing stopping us from starting the process of development and industrialisation now. Nigeria can still pursue, overtake and recover. A journey of a million miles starts with a step.
Of all capital projects in the country, the Dangote Refinery has proven itself most profitable on a national scale. It did not suffer the fate of other state-run refineries who gulp billions annually but spit dirt. Its benefits remain endless for the government, marketers, and the common man.
Within a few months of operation, it crashed the prevailing market price of diesel. To oppose the oil freedom of Nigeria which has found fulfilment in the refinery is a sure marker of those antagonistic to the idea of a working Nigeria.
Over and over, the Federal Government has failed to live up to its promises of producing PMS in-country. So much so it led to the proliferation of illegal refineries. The South South still bears the brunt of soot, its major towns riddled with citizens who are ticking bombs of lung disease. A lack of order is an invitation to chaos. Sadly, this has been the Nigerian story for decades.
It is not one man’s responsibility to ‘save’ the nation, but Dangote chose this cause. How counterproductive then, if businesses that should improve the health of the nation, feel a lack of structural support from the government. With a lot of multinationals exiting the country, it feels self-defeating to hinder the success of a Nigeria-birthed refinery. If years ago, the Federal Government doled out 25 licences to build a refineries, and only Dangote Refinery has been able to fulfil the goal, it isn’t unbecoming to think that the government should be a prime supporter of the project.
Without mincing words, regulators should not act as bottlenecks to the success of Nigeria for the sake of personal aggrandisement of its officials. Recently, on social media, a retired ambassador’s daughter decried the weakness of the Nigerian passport, saying her father had been denied entry in the country he served as Nigeria’s representative. Already, Nigeria’s reputation in the international oil market is soiled. We import what we should refine. Need we soil our reputation any further? To constantly import fuel is neo-colonial slavery.
Regulators must resist the fate of puppets. Of course, the Nigerian-birthed refinery has antagonists. There are people who wish that Nigeria persists in oil penury despite its great potential. Government officials must remember that their role is temporary. International oil companies who seek an edge over the homegrown refinery will seek any means to upend its success. For them, the self-sufficiency of Nigeria is a threat. The officials must ensure that they are not a party to such malignant intentions.
It is no secret that Nigeria would be saving $26 billion annually from petrochemical plants and fertiliser importation, thanks to the Dangote Refinery. What more need be said. The unemployment rate will suffer an appreciable blow upon total success of the refinery… what other manifesto is greater than this? Not to mention the rebounding of the Naira when fuel importation is halted.
No wonder, speaking on his motivation, the mogul said once, “What actually inspired me is when you look at what happened in a country like India where entrepreneurs went ahead and created about five million barrels-per-day oil refinery. This country does not have as much oil as Nigeria. Nigeria is here sitting on over 2.4 million barrels per day at a point and we do not refine the oil we produce. Here, we have a country of over 200 million people and we are importing 100 percent of what we consume.”
When the Federal Government abruptly halted the fuel subsidy, it revealed its political will in matters of note. Here again, the government through its regulators must stand true, and act as a barricade against the dirty politics of those who want continual impoverishment of the nation. Nigeria must move on from mere propaganda to action that benefits the populace.
Dreams Basketball tournament kicks off in Ibadan
Insured deposits for Heritage Bank customers delayed by BVN issues – NDIC
