LABOUR UNIONS SHOULD STOP DECEIVING NIGERIAN WORKERS!

ZION B-BC   NEWSLETTER.  

(Looking at Nigeria's Political System From a Godly Perspective).

A Publication of the Zion Faith Bible-Believing Church, Kpeyegyi, Abuja Nigeria. [VOL. 7. NO 268. 30thSeptember, 2018.] “…ONLY The Truth, Will Set You   Free! (John.8:32).

LABOUR UNIONS SHOULD STOP DECEIVING NIGERIAN WORKERS!

The present crop of Nigerian Labour leaders neither possess the clout nor the pedigree to call any workers union to embark on any form of strike action, be it warning or full-blown because, from inception in 2015, they were divided, dis-organized, dis-jointed and dis-oriented!

During the elections which threw up TWO FACTIONAL LEADERS from the rubbles and ashes of up-turned tables of ballot boxes and of the massive venue strewed with ballot papers that were kicked around by angry voters who believed that the whole exercise was a complete charade manipulated to favour the man, Ayuba Wabba, who is now the top negotiator of new national minimum wage with the Federal Government, it had been topsy-turvy and the centre could no longer hold!
And that was why the entire masses of Nigeria's 180-million-strong population refused to embark on any form of strike when the Buhari Administration increased fuel pump price from N87 - N145 naira for very good reasons on Wednesday, 11th May, 2016 and fuel scarcity had become an issue of the past since that increase!
The Labour Union is also involved in politics as most of them are eyeing top political jobs in 2019! Presently, they are in contention with the LABOUR PARTY OF NIGERIA over ownership claims and the courts might eventually have to decide who or which entity or body actually registered the Labour Party with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)!
And in spite of the fact that the confused labour leaders were running from pillar to post, they could still manipulate Nigerian workers into a senseless strike to broker an increased national minimum wage from eighteen thousand naira (N18, 000), to sixty-five thousand (N65, 000), in view of the "current economic hardship and price inflation on goods and services", according to them!
At mid-night on Wednesday, 26th, September, 2018, the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), the Trade Union Congress (TUC), and their affiliates, ordered the hapless and disillusioned workforce of both public and private sectors of the economy to "down tools" and stay at home in protest against the nonchalant attitude of Federal Government towards the Tripartite Committee comprising, Government, Labour and the Private Sector since its inauguration!
The most vexing issue for Labour according to their President was the stalling tactics of government, failure to mention any figure and complete disregard of the two-week ultimatum of 12th September, 2018, set for the commencement of a seven-day warning strike, which terminated without any attempt by government to re-convene the meeting!

WASTED MANPOWER!
We believe that the strike action was misplaced and could have been avoided if Comrade Wabba and his cohorts were sincere in their demands when they were told by the Minister for Labour and Productivity that the tripartite meeting would re-convene on 4th October, 2018!

Who would be the loser at the end of the day when the dust settles down? Was it sensible for Labour to insist on a strike at the END OF A MONTH?
Who takes responsibility for the loss of several man-hours incurred since mid-night Thursday 27th September, 2018? Suppose government imposed the caveat of "NO WORK, NO PAY?"

It is on record that this dis-organized Labour leaders had been unable to armtwist the new Federal Government under any guise for any special treatment or attention because APC's manifesto is loaded with welfare packages and Special Intervention Programmes (SIPs), including increment of workers salaries across board! And according to the Minister of Labour and Productivity, the National Salaries and Wages Commission would have concluded on government’s position before 4th October, 2018, meeting.
In the year 2011 the controversial national minimum wage was signed into law during Ex- President Ebele Jonathan's Administration which promised Nigerian workers a "living wage", but reneged and in spite of all entreaties, many State Governments bluntly refused to honour the payment till date! In order to fix a living wage, economic managers would normally take into consideration all economic factors and indices in respect of annual GDP, per capita income, foreign exchange earnings, IGRs, forex exchange rates, inflationary trends, transactions within the formal and informal sectors etc, for proper guidance!

None of the above factors were considered because when N18.000 was introduced as the national minimum wage, the paltry amount could only take care of workers transportation without leaving any allowance for feeding or other basic needs and workers were left high and dry at the close of each month! And for this grievous anomaly, workers had remained dis-oriented, abysmal, nonchalant, and absolutely work-unfriendly; but those who were more daring devoted official work period to the Private Practice (PP), Enterprise which was forbidden under the Civil Service Code! WITHOUT A STRENGTHENED NAIRA, NIGERIAN WORKERS WOULD BE WORSE OFF WITH N 65,000 NAIRA!
Until the advent of the present administration, thousands of "ghost workers" had infiltrated the government pay roll and successfully siphoned billions of naira out of the system and were bent on running the administration aground but for the timely intervention of the new economic managers who worked assiduously from May, 2015 to salvage the nation from recession and depression!

NIGERIA'S WORKFORCE NEEDS THE LIVING WAGE NOW!
What is a living wage? It is a regular salary that is commensurate to decent and goodly-living, i.e. the kind of money that has the VALUE to procure all basic necessities of life without failing. A currency which exchange rate is backed by the solid economy of the country of issue! And this is why the present Change Administration must intensify every effort to STRENGTHEN THE NAIRA!
How will government do this? First, encourage compulsory primary education of youths to Junior Secondary School (JSS), with emphasis in agricultural subjects and also assist illiterate grassroot adults to participate in agriculture and solid mineral exploration through provisions of modern implements, and ensure that the rural hinterland metamorphoses into beautiful and conducive habitats! Second, the cities able-bodied youths should be encouraged to get involved in various vocations like entertainment, music, comedy, acting, tourism, beauty pageants, theatre arts, livid arts and sculpture, trading i.e. buying and selling, small and medium scale manufacturing, - that would re-invent, re-engineer and revolutionize the entire architecture of the Nigerian economy in a way that had never been done before!
Third, WASTAGES IN GOVERNANCE as it exists presently is UNACCEPTABLE and MUST BE SURGICALLY EXCISED!
Starting with the National Assembly (NASS), the SENATE MUST BE SCRAPPED WHILE THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES BE PRUNNED TO ONLY 74 PART-TIME MEMBERS!
Fourth, the EXECUTIVE should reduce its workforce by half since the CIVIL SERVANTS can even work successfully with the PRESIDENT without the POLITICAL APPOINTEES - MINISTERS AND SPECIAL ADVISER/ASSISTANTS! President Muhammadu Buhari worked without ministers for over NINE months and heavens did not fall!
Fifth, salaries and allowances must be very minimal to discourage those who believed in aggrandizement in government and the anti-graft agencies must be put on RED ALERT to monitor income/expenditure and the lifestyles of all politicians and government appointees in all of the THREE-TIERS!
Sixth, every able-bodied Nigerian and even those with physical challenges, MUST BE ENCOURAGED TO BE GAINFULLY- EMPLOYED FROM NOW ON BY THE APC ADMINISTRATION AND THE NIGERIAN NAIRA WOULD BE STRENGTHENED TO PROVIDE THE MUCH-NEEDED LIVING WAGE!
As at the time of this publication (Sunday, 30th September, 2018), there were strong indications that the warning strike was being called off! Are we surprised? Government should always call their bluff as they do not represent the Nigerian workers but their pockets! "Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men. (Prov 22:29.)

Please look forward to more divine revelation in the next edition of Zion B-BC Newsletter as you share this with friends and remain blessed in the Lord. [For weekly access, to this newsletter, log on to:  facebook.com/zionfaithbible.believingchurch or http://www.zfbbc1.blogspot.com, https://www.google.com/ zionfaithbiblebelievingchurch.

If you have not accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour, don’t miss this great opportunity as you pray this prayer: Lord Jesus; I confess that I am a sinner who needs to be saved through the grace of the New Testament of your Blood, shed on the Cross at Calvary; I renounce every sin in my life and accept you as my Lord and Saviour. Please forgive me and write my name in the Book of Life. Amen. If you prayed this prayer, you have been admitted into the family of sons and daughters of God, who are born-again. Congratulations.

I am, yours sincerely, Dr. David B.A. Olufon, Resident Pastor and Editor. 08130669886, 08098194390.  08080243066. g-mail- dvdolufon@gmail.com.