Wages are reward for services rendered or simply put, reward for labour, while capital projects are long term development projects. X-ray of both appears on the same page of meaning in terms of their impact and their ripple effects on the society. Since sustainable development is a development that meets the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs, it could be seen that wages represent both present and the future as individual earners of wages have to develop their wards to guarantee their future, while capital projects does the same. However, both should be given priority in equal proportion.
It is no doubt that employers of labour, including, but not limited to government have not prioritised wages as at when due, as painful as the trend is, as risky as the implications on the society in terms of human development, level of patriotism family responsiveness, which of course is the bedrock and the lens for which a society is viewed.
Historically, whenever labour is well rewarded, the productivity and dedication is high as against where labour is scorned. It is through the proper compensation of labour that capital projects could survive and be sustained as labour is the basis for the sustenance of whatever laudable capital projects. For every labourer there is at least a dependent. We, however, have cases where a single person is responsible for the welfare of between 10-20 people. This will mean that if his labour is not rewarded well and as at when due the 10-20 people will suffer, and in some cases if not many cases resort to social vices. Rewarding labour is a major tool for achieving a crime- free society. Or how can you describe a situation where we have big structures when malnourished pupils stay there? This was not Awolowo’s Free education, this was not the Lee of Singapore’s education style . Who are the structures meant for? Is humanity meant to survive structures even at humanity’s detriment, or structures are meant to survive humanity? Urgent answers needed.
Things have, however, changed to the bad as most states pay huge billions of naira for inflated projects, while the career officers who carry out government policies are not paid their meager wages. If labor is well rewarded, the chain reaction that is positive to the society is in the purchasing power of the employees when their wages are paid and paid as at when due.
Akinola Iwilade writes from Iwo, Osun State