By Bimbola Oyesola
AS Nigerian Muslim faithful joined the rest of the world to celebrate Eid-el-Kabir, Organised Labour has called on the leadership, at all levels, to have a rethink and redraw a workable roadmap capable of transforming the economy of the country.
Both the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) in their separate messages lamented the plights of the workers and other Nigerians under the present administration.
The NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, said in the spirit of Eid-el-Kabir, workers have sacrificed the pursuit of personal wealth, fame and luxury to serve humanity.
“Elected political office holders, administrators in the bureaucracy and employers in the private sector must not forget the sacrifice by workers. So many times, the labour and sacrifice of workers are held in contempt by those who should appreciate them,” he said.
He lamented that employers hold workers in contempt and trample upon the sacrifice workers make when they owe workers arrears of salaries and deny them the minimum wage.
Wabba said employers scorn and dismiss the labour of the working class as scotched toil when workers are denied the right to benefit from the dividends of their own investment in productivity.
He said: “In recent times, we have witnessed increasing waves of hostility, scorn and contempt on the labour and sacrifice of Nigerian workers by some elected political office holders.
“Despite earning some of the lowest wages in Africa, Nigerian workers are usually the first to be laid off en masse.
“We want to use the opportunity of this year’s Eid-el-Kabir to appeal to the conscience of employers in Nigeria to show some respect for workers’ sacrifice.
“Workers are not slaves to be used, sapped, and tossed aside. Workers are partners in progress. Our labour moves society forward.”
The NLC president said Nigerian workers deserve not just the minimum wage but living wages.
“We demand wage justice now. State governors yet to fully implement the national minimum wage and the consequential salary increase belong to the league of politicians who pour contempt and scorn on the sacrifice of Nigerian workers,” he said.
In the same vein, TUC President, Quadri Olaleye, said the impoverished masses of the country are going through an excruciating experience presently and it behoves the wealthy and the privileged Nigerians to empathise with the needy.
“We would like to also use this opportunity to call on the leadership of the country to bear it in mind that the country is in a dire strait and we can only overcome if they (leaders) lead a selfless and exemplary life.
“The harsh economy is taking tolls on a large number of Nigerians and out of frustration, many, especially the youths, are doing untoward things just to make ends meet,” he said.