Following the news that the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) had elected Comrade Joe Ajaero as its president, CHRISTIAN APPOLOS spoke to some Nigerians on their expectations from the Congress under a new leadership.
Mr Edmund Onwuliri, civil servant: NLC must not be seen as an appendage of the government
“Over time, it has been said that the leadership of NLC is an appendage or an extension of the government in power. I think that this notion is the aggregate of the views of a number of committed workers in Nigeria. The expectation is that NLC should be seen as being independent; being able to not just always be a watchdog but also work with the government in making the life of Nigerians better not otherwise, particularly those who are workers.
“We expect the new leadership of NLC to position the Congress as an independent pan-Nigerian organisation that does not need to tell workers and Nigerians where it stands but whose actions will define and showcase its place and position in Nigeria. Protection of the interests of workers should evidently be paramount to this new NLC leadership.
“If you look at what is happening in Nigeria presently, one is tempted to ask, is it that NLC has lost its voice to call government attention to the sufferings of workers and Nigerians by extension or that it can no longer take action with a view to causing government to ameliorating the suffering of workers?
“The independence of the labour movement should be guaranteed and sacrosanct; it must never be compromised. The new leadership of NLC must never be an appendage of the government or an oh yes organisation to the government.”
Mr Ameh Ejekwoyilo, media expert: NLC should live up to its name
“I think the new leadership of NLC has a lot on its table to do in terms of rejuvenating public confidence and trust in the Nigeria Labour Congress. NLC, as the largest labour union in Africa, ought to live up to that space it occupies. I am convinced that within the last decade, if not more, the NLC leadership has not lived up to the expectations of workers and Nigerians at large. The impression and perception of Nigerians rather is that the NLC leadership often sells out at the most critical time.
“Look at the kind of mess that we have found ourselves in Nigeria lately. I am talking about the fuel scarcity and naira redesign policy. Of course, if the NLC was up and doing, it would have been able to interface with the government and see how these issues can be resolved in the interest of workers who are suffering so much owing to these two issues.
“We are expecting the new leadership of NLC to first rebuild the trust and confidence of all the affiliate unions in the Congress, as Mr Ajaero in his speech promised. Then chart a common front to tackle all the injustice that has deprived workers their human rights; that should be the first thing he has to do. Of course, there is always room for dialogue and negotiations between the government and the NLC but it should not be at the detriment of the workers.”
Comrade Sylvester Nwaiwu, National Chairman, Contribution Pension Scheme of the Nigerian Union of Pensioners: Lay emphasis on contributory pension issues
“Our expectation from the newly emerged National Executive Council of NLC led by Comrade Joe Ajaero is that they should lay emphasis on the contributory pension in Nigeria. It has never happened at any time that a country is running two parallel pension regimes. That is what we are having in the country today, different from the agreements the government as employers reached with workers.
“We expect Comrade Ajaero to emphasise the need to correct anomalies in the contributory pension scheme sector. The pensioners there are suffering and as it is today. The Federal Government hardly knows if there is anything called contributory pensioners. For instance, what we call pension increase that’s supposed to come every five years or when salaries increase, whichever comes first, from 2007 when retirees started emerging under the contributory pension scheme, the Federal Government has not paid a dime to any contributory pension. But from 2007 till date, including the 2019 increment arising from the national minimum wage, every pensioner under the old defined benefit scheme has benefited from that leaving those of us under the contributory pension scheme uncatered for.
“It is a very big job before the new leadership. And the earlier they start paying attention to that, the better for everyone because those of them in the office today will become pensioners tomorrow, including the president himself.”
Mr Emenike Ubani, Senior Lecturer: NLC should be committed to protecting workers’ rights, interests
“As a Nigerian and a worker, I expect that the new leadership of NLC should be more committed to protecting the rights of workers both in public and private organisations. It is a congress that is expected to look out for workers’ interest and wellbeing. But I cannot say how much the efforts of recent past NLC leadership impacted in reducing the suffering of workers arising from government’s policies.
“We are bombarded by terrible policies that caused fuel prices to increase and now scarcity of naira notes, electricity tariff is another one and so on. In all of these that affect workers so much, all you hear or see are press statements and empty words from NLC.
“I expect that the leadership, who our monies will be given to every month in the name of checkoff dues, should work for our interest, should be seen to be doing what they are elected to do; that is to protect workers’ interest and welfare, resist policies of the government that make us poor even though we are working hard.”
Mr Collins Olayinka, journalist: Comrade Ajaero should reconnect NLC to Nigerians
“The Joe Ajaero-led NLC has only one job – to reconnect NLC to Nigeria once again. Since 2007, NLC gradually moved itself away from the Nigerian people and its allies in the civil society groups.
“Note that for the nine times that President Obasanjo increased fuel price, labour resisted nine times when Adams Oshiomole was NLC President. Between 1999 and 2007, the resistance of labour unions always led to a reduction in the price of Petroleum Motor Spirit (PMS) in Nigeria. The moving away from that happened under Abdul Waheeb Umar leadership when labour failed to influence a reduction in the price of petrol. And from then, NLC systematically alienated Nigerians from the labour union struggle and the trajectory continued tragically till now.
“Therefore, Joe Ajaero will do himself and his team a lot of good if he finds a way to reconnect NLC with the Nigerian people and strike that cord again, where Nigerians will be proud to join NLC to the streets whenever it calls for action.
“I am very pleased that in his acceptance speech, he made an allusion that one of the things that he will prioritise is to reconnect with Nigerians knowing that that is very important. No matter the achievements of Joe Ajaero, it will not matter to Nigerians until he rises up in defence of the working poor Nigerians against poverty-engendering policies of the government.”
Joshua Onoshoho, interior designer: NLC must be resolute in its stance on government policies
“NLC, in the recent past, cast a lot of doubt in the minds of workers and Nigerians at large. The romance with the government and quick acceptance of government policies that drove workers below the poverty line made a lot of workers and Nigerians lose interest in NLC. People no longer believe and trust NLC. Seeing, they say, is believing, and workers and Nigerians saw nothing serious to trust NLC. It is either they didn’t understand some policies of the government and how terribly they are affecting workers or they collected their share and decided to let workers carry their cross on their own.
“Yes NLC is not the government but it has the legitimate right to protest against policies that are against the interest of workers. I expect the new leadership to cross check government policies very well before any form of negotiations. The new president and his team must not take any decision or stand to go on strike if it is not sure of seeing it through. They must not ridicule NLC by backing out when nothing has been achieved.
“Again, NLC needs image redemption from a lot of workers who are unfortunately their members but don’t trust and believe in the leadership, and of course the Nigerian masses. In the past, when NLC called for strike, people troop out but such a thing has not happened in the recent past. So, the new leadership must fix that trust and believe the ordinary Nigerian had in the Congress so that when NLC calls for strike, Nigerians will come out and support their course.
“The leadership must ensure that any faction does not raise its head again. There must be serious reconciliation of different interests and that NLC will truly be one body that speaks with one voice.”
Comrade Ofomhi Christopher, Executive Director, Integrity Advocacy for Development Initiative: Comrade Ajaero should stand by the masses
“A lot is expected of the new president of NLC and his team unlike before because people believe that NLC now is just like a toothless bulldog. For me, I think Comrade Ajaero will do better. I saw the energy and the sincerity with which he tackled the government against the electricity tariff contestation. So, I feel we will see something different.
“The expectation from him is to always stand by workers and Nigerians at large and look at issues before he dives into it. Because we have had past NLC presidents that showed that they rather go with the leadership of the Federal Government than stand with the masses. He should not agree with government policies that mete out hardship to the masses.”
Habeeb Kamal, university non-academic staff: NLC should act as watchdog to all organs of government
“Comrade Ajaero must galvanise the trade unions under its umbrella and strengthen them to be a serious force in the Nigerian polity. NLC under this new leadership should make itself relevant again in Nigeria as a major stakeholder. It should be a serious watchdog to all the organs of the government.
“Labour is no longer speaking for the interest of workers and Nigerians who are suffering from the bad policies of the government as expected. NLC as a pan-Nigerian organisation can help in ensuring a free and fair election in Nigeria if it gets its act together. So the new leadership should seriously look into this direction.”
Friday Olokor, senior media practitioner: Comrade Ajaero should not join the bandwagon
“It is expected that as somebody who has learned the ropes, he should be able to use his experiences to fight for Nigerian workers; he should fight for the oppressed and the masses. He should not join the bandwagon of some people who got there and sacrificed the struggle on the altar of personal interest and aggrandisement.
I believe that Comrade Joe Ajaero will set a better pace for others to follow. I believe he will do more to champion the course of Nigerian workers and won’t disappoint us.”
