By Victor AhiumaYoung

Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Sunday said there were no signs of progress from the past lamenting that insecurity poverty, and hopelessness had been worsening.

According to NLC, the nation has become more divided than ever with growing suspicion and increasing trust deficits along those lines, urging the Federal Government to show more compassion in its dealings with Nigerians and Nigerian workers especially in the face of the excruciating poverty which its policies have foisted on hapless Nigerians.

In a New Year message titled “2024 CAN BE BETTER IF ……”, President of NLC, Joe Ajaero, noted that in the face of these adversities, it would be crucial to recognize that it might have seemed hopeless at times, “but we firmly believe that together, we can make 2024 better.”

Among others, NLC said “Divisions along our various primordial fault lines rather than heal became exacerbated this year mainly as a result of the unfortunate activities of Politicians who played them up in their bid to win elections. Our nation has therefore become more divided than ever with growing suspicion and increasing trust deficits along those lines.

“Citizens’ confidence in the government is therefore deeply wounded causing the further disconnect between the people and governments as government continues with policies that negate the welfare of citizens. We observe only a few pockets of progress in governance in some states but largely, the instruments of governance are mainly deployed for the sole benefit of those who believe they have captured the instruments of governance thus use them for their sole benefit.

“2023 is also a year where we have seen the increasing use of violence and unrivaled propaganda as tools of engagement in the nation’s industrial relations sphere. The boundary between the tools used in electioneering and in actual governance seems to have been ruptured as the same mindless violence and crudity witnessed during the last election cycle is now being used by those in government as a weapon in managing workplace relations in Nigeria. We have witnessed the government’s interference in the internal affairs of trade unions all in a bid to capture the levers of power in these unions and use them to seek to hold the civic space in our nation hostage and thwart citizens’ efforts at holding the government accountable.

“Generally, it has been a turbulent year both for workers and Nigerian people as the negative Economic policies of the Government begin to bite harder on poor Nigerians as predicted. Workers continue to grapple with the worst forms of deprivations thus unable to meet their basic needs while transportation to work continues to be a nightmare. Nigerian masses have experienced the worst form of angst and suffering as access to basic nutrition has become more difficult while Education and basic social utilities have become the sole purview of the rich. This year’s festive season has been made so difficult for the masses that the usual joy associated with the season was replaced with worries and anxiety all over the nation.

“Government’s half-hearted attempts at providing succor were largely mere propaganda and never had any impact on the high cost of transportation across the nation. Our Naira continues in its free fall in all markets while Governments both federal and state continue in their reckless borrowing and spending in the name of governance. We are worried at the haste with which those in government rush to eat the future of Nigerians by borrowing and frittering them away putting the future of our unborn generation in jeopardy. As it stands today, Nigeria needs about 12 percent more than our annual revenue to service our debt stock meaning that we have to borrow to ever be able to service our debts. Another debt trap has been unleashed on the population. Governments should act more responsibly in their debt activities.

“We are witnessing once again, Cash scarcity in our Economy. This time, the CBN tells us that it is because we are hoarding cash – a very sad excuse. We know that with our meagre incomes, we don’t have any leftover cash to hoard and so, if by any stretch of the imagination, CBN’s excuse is real, we know those who are hoarding cash. However, we do not see any sensible person who will hoard the Naira as a store of value at this time when the Naira is receiving its greatest bashing. The CBN should immediately inject cash into the economy to stop the exploitation of the Nigerian masses thus reducing the hardship. If the CBN does not realize it, Nigerians as it stands today pay at least five percent of their money to free the money which it has held hostage.

“The wanton destruction of lives and properties continues unabated in 2023. The recent killings in Plateau and Taraba states during this yuletide are heart-rending and mindboggling. That the blood of Nigerians flowed in the streets without any outrage across the nation shows that we may have lost our collective feeling of revulsion. That our leaders chose this occasion to clink glasses and junket to pay homages instead of being in a sober mood to reflect on the degree of their failure to protect the lives of those who elected them into offices is utterly repugnant and smacks of the highest level of insensitivity. We are aghast at whether our leaders understand what their responsibilities are at all?

“It is these combined forces of negative government policies that have created the worst form of social anomie in our nation. Nigerians have become more fearful of the future now than ever before and are truly having their expectations dashed and their hopes betrayed by the ruling elite. It is in this dire mood that we end the year 2023 and in this condition that we move into the New Year 2024.

“However, in the face of these adversities, it is crucial to recognize that it may have seemed hopeless at times, but we firmly believe that together, we can make 2024 better. The spirit of unity and solidarity that defines our great nation has seen us through numerous trials in the past, and it will undoubtedly guide us toward a brighter future.

“That future can only come with our resolve to act together as we reposition ourselves to act better and more creatively to grapple with the forces that are holding our nations down in a cesspool of underdevelopment and misery. The Nigeria Labour Congress is committed to providing the necessary leadership as we move into the New Year to ensure that we responsibly hold the government accountable and nudge it towards working for the benefit of the majority.

“To this end, NLC will be committed in 2024 to ensuring that a living wage becomes possible for all Nigerian workers by working with others to secure a National Minimum Wage that approximates to the dictates of the various parameters that make incomes humane and grants access to basic necessities of life for the average worker.

“We will recommit to building workplaces that guarantee the rights and privileges of workers while building the basis for continuous wealth creation for our nation. All actions that will therefore ensure that Decent work gaps are reduced to their barest minimum will be encouraged. We will therefore strengthen our collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Labour, NECA, and the TUC using the tripartite process to regulate the Industrial Relations space and ensure that the reviewed labour administration laws are forwarded to the National Assembly for passage into Law.
From every indication, 2024 will be an interesting year. Interesting because it will witness a period where all that has been taken away from workers will be restored. Any Private sector employer or Agency of Government that therefore owes any Nigerian worker anywhere should be ready to pay up in 2024.

“We will work in collaboration with our civil society partners to generate frameworks that will build more robust civic space which ensures that our voices are heard at all times and used to check and assist the government to take the right actions that will make governance more effective and beneficial for the majority of the citizenry.

“NLC will seek to work with partners and patriots everywhere to pursue the creation of more effective structures to protect the institutions of democracy in Nigeria. We shall to this end join hands with other willing forces to begin work at strengthening our leadership recruitment processes especially the electoral framework in Nigeria. It is our collective responsibility to ensure that credibility is restored to our elections which are the foundation for enthroning a more responsive and responsible government that remains accountable and thus totally anchored on the people.

“Much more, we will engage the Government to ensure that the agreement it reached with us in our last negotiations, especially the October 2nd Agreement is implemented. It is highly insensitive of the federal government to allow its citizens to go hungry during this Yuletide season by denying them the benefit of their hard-earned December 2023 salary.

“Nigerians are watching the chest-thumping and visitations as if in triumphalism against the collective will where food and drinks were lavished by public officials while workers are not paid and are left in starvation over one spurious reason or the other. We urge the federal Government to show more compassion in its dealings with Nigerians and Nigerian workers especially in the face of the excruciating poverty which its policies have foisted on hapless Nigerians.

“It is therefore important that as we stand at the threshold of a New Year, let us embrace the lessons learned and the wisdom gained from our experiences in 2023. Challenges may persist, but our collective resolve to build a stronger, more prosperous Nigeria remains unwavering. The Nigeria Labour Congress remains committed to advocating for the rights and well-being of workers across the nation, and we encourage all Nigerians to join hands in the pursuit of a better tomorrow.

“In the coming year, let us foster a culture of inclusivity, understanding, and collaboration. By working together, we can address the issues that affect us all and pave the way for positive change. Our nation is rich in diversity, and it is this diversity that can be our greatest strength when harnessed for the common good.”