By Denis Agbo

ENUGU— Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, ASCSN, has raised the alarm over the worsening living conditions of workers and other Nigerians, and urged the Federal Government to constitute a panel to negotiate a new national minimum wage without further delay.

Labour

Speaking in Enugu at the National Executive Council, NEC, meeting of the association, its President,  Bobboi Kaigama, lamented that “the massive devaluation of the naira has made nonsense of the take home pay of an average Nigerian worker, particularly the civil servants.”

Kaigama, who was represented by Bola-Audu Innocent, a Vice President of the body, said: “Monthly emoluments of workers can no longer take them to the bus stop let alone taking them home.   The current minimum wage of N18,000 came into force in March, 2014, meaning that it is long overdue for re-negotiation.

“It is worthy of note that the Palliative Committee set up by the Federal Government to fashion out measures to cushion the effect of petroleum price increase on the people had since concluded its assignment and established the framework for the negotiation of a new national minimum wage.

“We ,therefore, appeal to the Federal Government to, as a matter of urgency, inaugurate the panel to do the negotiation so that a new national minimum wage for the country can be arrived at in the next few months.”

Lamenting the increasing poverty in the country, Kaigama said “It is not an understatement that Nigeria and Nigerians are facing one of the most challenging times in history. The grinding and excruciating poverty in the land imposed by runaway inflation and lack of opportunities are now biting very hard. Lives of ordinary citizens have continued to hang in the balance.

Many Nigerians have now taken to vices which ordinarily would have been avoidable if the atmosphere had been more conducive.   Cases of suicide are now being recorded on a daily and regular basis.   Perhaps except for the political class, their collaborators and cronies, almost every segment of our population is hungry, angry and frustrated.

Businesses are closing down, abandoned projects litter everywhere, pensioners wait endlessly to be paid while health facilities and public services continue to sag and lives remain unfortunately hazardous. We hereby call on our Political elite to redeem their political goodwill and create conditions that will engender positive growth and equal opportunities for all.

“It is sad to note that one of the key negative developments that led to the collapse of the First Republic and which actually dragged us into a needless and avoidable Civil War is staring us in the face once again. The Association notes with serious concern serious agitations in various parts of the country all of which are impacting negatively on national unity and cohesion. It is a well known fact that no nation survives two civil wars.  We will therefore want to use this medium to appeal to all Nigerians to work collaboratively with one another so that the country could move forward.   We should learn to tolerate and accommodate ourselves. We should live as we were meant to live with each other in greater peace, compassion and love.   We should avoid judging others by their worst examples and looking at ourselves by our best of intentions.