THE NIGERIAN WORKER IN AGONY

By:
Ajukura, Fidelis O.
ajukurafidelisobi@gmail.com
4th September, 2023.

The Nigerian worker is indeed going through indescribable pain and agony. The current economic reality has left salary earners especially those in the public sector in a pitiable condition. Prices of goods and services have so dwarfed salaries that workers are confused and do not know where to turn to for help. Salaries have remained the same despite the soaring prices of items in the market. For instance, a bag of rice that went for #7,500 few years ago has climbed to #45,000 with the salary remaining the same. How are the workers expected to cope in this unjust and suffocating situation? Yet they must go to work even if it means spilling their own blood on the road. In their various places of work, they're expected to adhere strictly to the regulations of the job e.g., do not use official hours to run or operate personal businesses, do not engage in actions adjudged to be corrupt etc.

Salary earners are really going through tough time in this country. Majority of workers are neck deep into debt. They have to borrow to do the most basic things such as feeding, paying for rent etc - this situation has accelerated them further into a state of despondency and helplessness. As a result, microfinance institutions have sprouted like grass everywhere in order to take advantage of the situation to exploit the already beleaguered workers. It is not surprising that many salary earners even in the face of the stifling economic condition do not have salaries: activities of microfinance houses especially, those operating on-line have worsened workers situation.

Beginning of this academic session for children in both primary and secondary schools was a serious problem for salary earners. With the death of public schools across the country, the astronomical increase of school fees and other levies, salary earners were left with no choice but to go 'aborowing'. To address this problem, many workers have mortgaged their salaries till next year. The situation is asphyxiating. Nigerian workers are dying!

Those who may not be feeling the impact of this harrowing hardship are those who have found a way of misappropriating government's fund, politicians, those working in government's beloved or favoured organizations.

The suffering and hardship that the Nigerian worker is going through is real. Government must, as a matter of urgency rise to the occasion of saving the Nigerian workforce from collapse. It is my appeal that the principles of justice, fairness and equity be applied in the remuneration of workers. All workers should be treated equally. It is unthinkable that workers of one organization are treated with dignity and honour while others are treated with disdain. No organization can actually exist or operate in isolation - they need the support and collaboration of other organizations to function. To this end, I propose that every Nigerian worker should be treated equally. Salaries should be the same because we're all in the same society. Similarly, government should work out a modality to also carry along those in other sectors especially, the informal sector and by extension every Nigerian.

May God bless Nigeria!