Let the Poor Breathe

By Abu Onyiani

Many Nigerian workers,  both in private and public employment unitedly suffer from the characteristically nigerian but debilitating non and late salary payment scheme.

For a nation that suffers from Illiteracy and unemployment, one would be reason that the working class would be far better off than the jobless but not lazy many, but this is a false notion.

Besides the fact that most working Nigerians survive on barely livable wage that is depleted by large family and dependents, most workers in Nigeria are owed salaries. It is common to hear that state government employees are owed salaries for months and years. Pensions and gratuities are not paid until the retiree are almost worn out from the numerous and almost meaningless visits and exchange of correspondence with the relevant authorities.

The Private sector is even worse. I have had encounters with many SME’s, and I have come to notice a horrifying trend. Many of them deliberately do not pay workers on time due to sinister reasons. Some make unreasonable deductions that reeks of slavery, and the workers are powerless to stop it, as they cannot afford to financially fund a legal battle or stay out of a job, coupled with the snail pace movement of the judiciary. When asked, some of these business owners will tell you they deliberately do not pay on time because they know many workers would leave as soon as thery are paid. So they owe them salaries as a means to tie them to the job.

It is a known fact to most people who have worked in factories, hospitality industry and are aware of the fact that even if the advertised salary is a million or ten thousand naira, you will never receive your full salary. For thiose in factories, a missing or damaged equiptment will lead to the deduction of salaries from all workers in every department of the factory.

A friend of mine who used to work in the hospitality industry recalls that he worked 24 hours on and 24 hours off for a popular hotel in Benin City and claims he never received his full salary for once despite working as a barman, cleaner and laundryman at the same time. They were made to pay for all damaged and stolen things in the hotel, plus a hefty 700 naira fine for latecoming. The highest salary he ever got was 20,000 naira before he ran away for his life.

Another friend who worked in a peanut factory in Sapele Road, Benin City says his experience was similar. Their salaries were irregularly paid, denied the right to unionize, and given sub par safety equipments which was cheap rainboots wihout recourse to sizes, and uniforms that tore if you made any sharp movement. The advertised salary was 45,000 naira monthly then, but inspite of all the efforts he put into working, he only received over 20,000 naira once, in his first month. After 6 months, they paid him half of his first salary, 11,300 naira and he knew then he had to resign.

Even today, he regrets working there and says the only thing he gained was the weight he lost.

Health insurance, staff meals, paid meals are notions that are alien to most Nigerian working class people. Even truck drivers who against all odds of insecurty and poor roads do not get a dime if they suffer accident or death.

When you hear stories like this, you are tempted to ask if the government at all levels care or are concerned about the evilness of the state of things. However, the government have shown they are equally as wicked, if not worse than private businesses. It is almost as if they set the template for private business owners to follow.

Yahaya Bello of Kogi State was owing months of salary to state government workers and only remembered them when elections was nigh. Even then, there are reports that the salary arrears have not been fully cleared.

Workers are laid off  because there is a need to hire party members and thugs, and there is a total disregard for retired civil servants. Healthcare allowances are poor and ridiculous, and salaries are barely livable. This has no doubt encouraged the indolence that is a prominent feature of the Nigerian civil service.

My question is, when will there be a moment when people are paid what they are due, as at when due?