Protesting Hardship and the N70K Minimum Wage, by Abdulkadir Salaudeen

After what looked like an unending debate on what should be the national minimum wage between the Federal Government (FG) and the Nigerian Labour Union (NLC), a token was ultimately fixed and agreed upon by both sides.

After back and forth on NLC demand of the initial N1,000, 000which most of us considered unrealistic and the initial N50, 000offered by the FG which is undoubtedly ridiculous, striking a “balance” between the two wage proposals culminated in N70, 000. The pendulum swang apparent to the side of the FG.

The wage agreed upon is very close to the ridiculous proposal initially made by the government and it is way away from the in labour union initial unrealistic demand (or what is called bargaining figure). In a word, the FG won. In another word, the NLC lost. To crown it all, the masses are in trouble. I will explain.

The current inflation rate (34.19%)which is the highest since 1996 makes N70, 000 minimum wage abysmally low to address the challenge of food alone—one of our basic needs. Depending on the type and location, it can hardly buy a bag of rice.

Prior to President Tinubu’s Emi lo kàn regime, N30, 000minimum wage could not put a smile on the face of a single individual worker (not to talk of a household). But at present, it is/was far valuable than the approved N70, 000 which is about to be paid. We should note that “approval” and “payment” of minimum wage are two different concepts in Nigeria. It has to be paid before one can understand what is meant by approval.

While the approved 70k is worthless in the face of the hunger it is meant to address, many dying poor civil servants, just by the announcement of N70k (which payment is not certain), heaved a sigh of relief. The hunger under this Emi lokàn Presidency is very traumatic.

We all know the effect of wage increments on prices of commodities in Nigeria. The expectation is that marketers will harvest more from the tattered pockets of civil servants. Prices of basic commodities might still go further north except God touches the hearts of Nigerian traders. But can anyone blame them? The thoughtless removal of oil subsidy should be blamed for our woes. That three worded “Subsidy is Gone” has become a smokescreen to justify harming the poor by many heartless Nigerians.

If this wage increment leads to irrational hike as we are used to, what is the fate of those who are neither traders nor civil servants? What is also the fate of petty traders whose business capital is too small to restock due to the dwindling value of their meager capital? Bank is a no-go-area; lending interest rate has increased to 26.75%.

Majority of Nigerians are neither civil servants nor giant traders. This wage increment is, to them, calamitous. According to a report, IPPIS had led to the reduction of the Federal Civil Service personnel to 720,000. We are talking about an estimated population of two hundred and twenty million (220, 000, 000) Nigerians, out of which only 720, 000—less than one million—are federal civil servants.

What about private school teachers all over the country whose population is far greater than the civil servants? These teachers will not get the minimum wage. There are many private schools in Nigeria, as I write, who struggle to pay graduatesN20, 000 per month. The pay, as low as it is, is not regular in some schools? What about factory workers and other sundry employees? And I hope the new autonomous local government councils in Nigeria will be able to pay their cleaners and messengers N70k per month.

To these categories of Nigerians who will continue to be underpaid, and even the federal civil servants, N70k minimum wage is not a meal ticket. I pray it is not a recipe for disaster. I have been mentioning federal civil servants to the exclusion of states civil servants. This is deliberate. Governors do not hide it, with the exception of few: they might not pay. If knowledge of hindsight is anything to rely upon for insight, they will not pay except if God touches their hearts. Some governors are gods in their states (more powerful than the President) and may choose not to pay.

Nigerian governors and other elected rulers in Nigeria do not know, or pretend not to know, what it means to be paid N30k or N70k in the present day Nigeria. That is why they do not understand why the youth are about to protest. May be the youth will let them know that the so-called minimum wage is not a living wage. It is a wage with ripple disastrous effects. To make the minimum wage meaningful, other things must complement it.

What Nigerians need to survive is social services support that will go round. Not palliative. Not minimum wage. These can never go round. Food and drugs should be heavily subsidized. Nigerians are dying of hunger and ill health. Hospital bills alone had sent many patients to their early graves. Schools should be made affordable. There should be good road network and a subsidized transport system which benefits will go round.

My final appeal is to governments at various levels. I learnt there will be protest. Please if these youth make real their protest, it is your duty to protect them, listen to them, and dialogue with them. They are only exercising their democratic right. Government bullying can only popularize the protest and make it appealing even to those who might be apathetic. I also learnt Oro ritualists in Lagos (an epicenter of protest) fixed first fifteen days of August for their festival. The antics are understandable. It is a huge joke. They did similar thing to threaten voters in Lagos last year. This is how religion has been used in Nigeria to muzzle progressive voices. Though I don’t know what the future holds, Nigeria might one day become a theocracy or “jujucracy”. But for now, in principle, it is a democracy. Therefore, youth protest should be viewed from this lens.

This is my appeal to Nigerian youth. You may choose to shelve the protest. But in case you ultimately set out to protest, it has to be peaceful. I am sure President Tinubu is aware of your predicaments. He also knows why you are about to protest; though he seems not to have any earthly idea on how to solve your problems. Be polite in making your demands and help him with ideas.

Also like experienced tutors, you should politely tutor the APC governors (expecially Imo State governor, Hope Uzodimma)on why you are protesting. He probably lives in another planet entirely. So he doesn’t understand your pain and may be unfeeling towards your cries. He doesn’t know why you are protesting!

May we see the end of this hardship soon.

Abdulkadir Salaudeen

salahuddeenabdulkadir@gmail.com