Ayorinde Oluokun/Abuja
The Nigeria Labour Congress has set up a task force to put pressure on state governments to pay salaries being owed workers. The NLC said some state governments owe their workers as much as eight months salary arrears.
This was contained in a communiqué released at the end of a meeting of the National Administrative Council of the Congress, signed by President and General Secretary of the NLC, Mr. Ayuba Wabba and Dr. Peter Ozo-Eson respectively.
The NLC also tasked the government to come up with how to tackle the problem of the devaluation of the Naira, especially the erosion of the purchasing capacity of the Nigerian workers.
“The NAC-in-Session examined the state of the economy and its impact on Nigerian workers.
“NAC-in-Session condemned in very strong terms the vogue among state governments to owe workers salary in excess of 8 months. In response to this ugly trend NAC-In-Session set up a Task Force to drive Congress intervention and actions in redressing the anomaly.
“The NAC-in-Session saluted the courage and actions of the Ebonyi State Council of Congress who are currently on strike as a result of backlog of owed salaries. Their response to the situation was commended to the State Councils of NLC facing similar challenges.
“The NAC-in-Session noted with concern the devaluation of the Naira which has drastically eroded the purchasing power of the worker and made nonsense of the N18,000 minimum wage. It urged the government to quickly come up with measures to shore up the value of the Naira and also to cushion the effect of eroded purchasing power of the worker,” the communiqué read in part.
NLC also warned against the derailment of the March 28, 2015 Presidential election.
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No body owes Nigerian workers whatever months of unpaid salaries. The salaries that Nigerian workers are paid is a mere ' incentive to show up' at whatever time they arrive for ' work' After all Nigerians invented the maxim ' he / she is not on seat' Nigerian workers show up when they choose. Then earn commission for the time they spend at 'work' by making the public decide which of two charges they prefer for services....... a lesser unreceipted fee which goes into their pocket or a set government fee for which you will have to come back another day and if you dare make a fuss then you wait adifinitum until the official relents or you purge your self for being a smart alec. If it is a free service like collecting registered mail over the counter then the worker will conveniently be unable to locate it until you offer a bribe. Every service has a set bribe and if you are confused about what the bribe for a perticular service is then you will be notified by 'consultants ' or 'facilitators' correction ....by touts hanging around and working for the workers at that workplace. The cancer called Nigeria did not just happen. It Started when northern sunni moslem military commanders aided by the Yoruba defeated Biafra in the civil war. They became exclusive custodian
Continuing, northern moslem military comanders found themselves in control of the instruments of coercive force. The resources of nigeria became spoils of war. They became unaccountable to anyone. They facilitated each others thievery and covered for one another. Eventually everyone was on the take. If you steal like every one else around you and had no nrthern muslim or military godfather then you stood the risk of being punished as a token sign of making an example of you. Regardles, corruption and lack of accountability permeated from top down. I pity nigeria. I despice nigerians.... all of them including their bishops, imams, professors colonels and governors. They are all thieves..