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Payment of workers’ salaries: What an achievement

By Nimi Princewill
02 May 2017   |   4:00 am
Payment of workers’ salaries, is not an achievement of government! Every worker deserves his pay! It is the right of the worker and not a generous act of political kindness from the government.

Payment of workers’ salaries, is not an achievement of government! Every worker deserves his pay! It is the right of the worker and not a generous act of political kindness from the government. PHOTO: FEMI ADEBESIN-KUTI

Sir: The discomfort which came with the ‘immediate past’ recession, crash in oil prices and the dwindling generosity of the federal purse, has provided leverage for most state governors to under-achieve and get away smoothly with it! A little glance at the Nigerian economy, leaves one bewildered with deep concerns like: How do Nigerians survive? What really are their survival techniques in a malicious economy that suffocates the growth of a meager minimum wage, yet continuously witness a scary rise in the prices of essential commodities? Isn’t it quite a mystery? Or could it be sheer faith…?

Following the speculative report which suggests that a huge number of states in Nigeria are currently owing salaries, a few other states honorable enough to keep up with payments, are celebrating their ‘heroic strides’ in granting workers what is due them!

One can’t seem to have a sycophant-free leisure time on television, without getting pissed at some henchman to a state governor, who keeps reiterating on the governor’s supposed achievements (based on his fictional plans on paper), and how magnanimous his administration has been in paying workers’ salaries while the neighbouring states aren’t.

Payment of workers’ salaries, is not an achievement of government! Every worker deserves his pay! It is the right of the worker and not a generous act of political kindness from the government. It’s a shame, some state governors now equate their efficiency in office with payment of salaries.

While some state governments unrepentantly continue to owe workers, a few others, have primarily decided to centre their administration goals and achievements on payment of salaries (in preparation for the next polls maybe). After all, it’s a common rumour that gubernatorial elections for incumbents, are first won in the civil service.

Nimi Princewill.

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