Factional President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Comrade Joe Ajaero, has condemned unequivocally the deepening salary crisis arrears running into several months owed Nigerian workers by various State Governments in many parts of Nigeria despite the efforts Congress has made at different levels to resolve the logjam.
The labour leader regretted that the phenomenon was a backlash of the huge resources the politicians pumped into their election and re-election campaigns in the recently concluded general elections.
In a statement made available to Global Patriot Newspapers in Lagos, Ajaero said: “We make haste to say that it is fraudulent for anyone to deny a worker his salary under whatever guise and it works in direct opposition to the Holy Books which recognises the fact that a Labourer deserves his wage. A worker’s salary pays for his food and that of his family; it puts his children in school, clothes them and houses them and gives him security and comfort as a human being. When he is denied this, his life and that of his dependants become suspended. There is therefore no basis to justify this on-going deprivations against Nigerian workers however well packaged and managed”, Ajaero said.
He said further that creation of wealth was central to the quest for national development but those who were saddled with the responsibility of governing the nation at various levels have not given priority to that critical element necessary for the accumulation of capital.
“Lip service is merely paid to the maxim that “labour creates wealth. if national development is truly crucial to our leaders, then, the welfare of Nigerian workers would have become the centrepiece of their programmes and policies. It is unfortunate that they have once again confirmed that Nigeria’s development is far from their minds by this action”, Ajaero added
Comrade Ajaero added that Nigerian workers have endured years of neglect and abuse in the hands of not just private sector employers but also in the hands of the Government that ought to protect them. He said It was reprehensible for a Governor who swore to an oath to defend and protect the constitution to turn back and desecrate same especially on statutory matter as workers’ salaries when it was known that the constitution of the federal republic as amended guarantees its citizenry the right to life and decent living. He said denying the worker the right to his salary was robbing him of his fundamental right to life.
Ajaero regretted that repeated alert to the nation on the danger of the continued unbridled corruption and the burgeoning cost of governance which posed great danger to the national economy, as usual, was left unheeded. According to him, unpaid salaries were one of the immediate consequences of the mindless looting of our collective patrimony by the politicians and other various public office holders.
“Making workers its first victims becomes a justification of our earlier outcries and warnings. This is unacceptable! It is pitiable to hear some Governors trying to shift the blame purporting that it was the heavy looting at the centre that is culpable for the backlog of salaries. Congress agrees on the score of the heavy looting at the centre but we know that the same went on in the states. We are however not amused by such proclamations but are only interested in ensuring that Nigerian workers get paid their salaries”, Ajaero added.
He, however, advised that State Governments should re-double their efforts at increasing their Internally Generated Revenues (IGR) to augment what comes from the federation account.
Comrade Ajaero demanded that all State Governments and MDAs owing workers’ salaries should immediately put in motion machinery for payment and that all arrears of salaries cleared within the month of June while urging all State Councils of the Congress in the culpable States to immediately enter into negotiations with the State Governments with a view to resolving this issue and clearing the backlog. He noted that Congress would be forced to take necessary action very soon in solidarity with all workers in the Public sector to ensure that the impounded salaries are paid immediately if nothing was done.
