Over the years, Nigeria civil servants have been downgraded and neglected in the scheme of things. The attitude of our government towards their demands is always not given uttermost priority. In respect to Nigeria ’s Labour needs, one can easily deduce that the reward of the civil servant probably awaits him in heaven. This is not far fetched – issues such as salary increment for workers have been a futile subject of deliberation. It is no longer news that the salaries of our lawmakers were upwardly reviewed twice last year by 100% and yet nobody sounded alarm in that regard.

The living and working conditions of our civil servants are getting worse. It is highly difficult for the Nigerian civil servant who works more than 56 hours a week to meet his daily needs in contrast with his counterpart in some countries of the world who can easily afford basic necessities such as housing, food, utilities, transportation, health care and recreation even without any additional income.

Unlike in the past years, the security of the Nigerian graduate’s future is threatened as the dividend of the education system lies in shambles. Though, the number of unemployed graduates is alarming, the few lucky ones cannot afford living a comfortable life at least to some extent like the artisans in the country. With such a situation, how can the masses be convinced of government mass literacy programme?

That this is not the right time for labour union to clamour for salary increase due to the global down turn according to Dr. Sylvia Ebigwei in a recent interview with daily Champion is out of it. Really, government all over are passing through difficult times, notwithstanding, the greater percentage of our resources which are being irrationally pumped into politics and lobbying for their selfish interest should have suffice in catering for the masses needs.

How would Dr. Sylvia justify the N134, 000:00 feeding allowance of each of our Honourables, meanwhile those (the civil servants) who labour for such money find it uneasy to purchase a cup of garri? They believe that the reward for the labourer awaits in heaven. One will continue to wonder how tedious the work is in the corridor of power is when one compares the various entitlements of Honourables with the little earnings of their counterparts in the civil service. Definitely what is good for the goose should be good for the gander.

Sincerely, if our resources are well managed, we would all get to know that championing this course of human needs in spite the global down turn is not a big deal in this country. The Almighty has bestowed on us all it takes to cater for our need, the masses are only being oppressed by our leaders.

There is no fast rule to the game than our leaders listening to and acting positively to the request of the civil servant. These are people from whose labour they (our government) reap. It is always nothing to write home about expecting a man with 4 children living on 11,000 as salary with the high rate of living in the country.

Usually, whenever our government gives a positive response in this kind of situation, it creates another means through which it makes the beneficiaries regurgitate such benefits. Consideration should be given in respect to subsequent polices like tax rates and the likes.

The Nigerian government should see the reason for improving the standard of the workers in the country, so that their (government) aim for mass literacy can be justified and supported by her citizenry. This is because the campaign for mass literacy can still turn to a waste of resources if there is no confidence and security in such campaign.

It will go a long way in boosting the goodness of the country if our government can introduce the living wage system like some countries rather than the minimum wage system which takes the civil servants nowhere.

At this juncture, we hope for the best response from our leaders and implore the Labour union and individual employee to continue to serve their father’s land with love, strength, and faith. May God help us all.

By: Adediran Monsurah Atinuke

 adediran.atinuke@yahoo.com

 Abuja .