Don’t complain if you vote wrong candidates in 2023 – Okon

National President Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) Tommy Etim Okon speaks on the leadership tussle within the union, expectations from workers during the forthcoming general elections and other sundry issues. MOSES JOHN reports

Living condition of workers 

Well, let me say that it’s been a turbulent year for the workers. A very hard year indeed. When you look at the socio-economic challenges vis a vis the static income, terms of the minimum wage, and the economic mix, the environment that will operate, it’s been a very tight, challenging and difficult situation for workers.

You can see recent time, the icons of food items, transportation, even the rent. And these are the mix of which the worker can play around. You must be able to accommodate your family, must be able to provide food for your family, must be able to pay transportation to your office to and fro. So, these are the issues which have been of enormous challenge to Nigerian workers.

Again, you also look at the health situation, the epidemics from one virus to another called monkey pox, and all those sorts of challenges. So, when you look at it aggregately, and you compare to what the worker take home, it becomes a cause for worry. So Nigerian workers never felt well, never fed well in 2022.

Ngige on upward review of salary 

We are still very hopeful. Coming from the government, especially in the character of minister of labour, he knows what he’s talking. And we’re also patiently waiting because we know that there is wage harmonisation committee that are still working on.

We’ve also learned to silently discuss the issue  because when it comes to public sector, they make announcement and the whole thing keep dominating the public space. Before you even see the money, inflation has eaten it. Maybe this time governments want to be silent and do the needful without much noise as done in the private sector, even though sometimes governments use propaganda machinery to boost whatever they are doing. So, I want to believe that the process is ongoing and at the appropriate time the announcement will come on board

2023 and workers 

We have seen the budget presented, there is nothing much to be expected because you cannot set that agenda for the next government. Every government will set the agenda based on their manifesto. So, it is expected that the new government will set agenda and it is also expected that workers will be at alert and also live to their responsibility by ensuring that they get their PVCs and then vote for the government they want, because if workers stay aloof they don’t need to complain. But if you make use of the powers, you have to vote for government that you believe will care for the workers’ interests. I think that is where you can make your presentation and I stand by it.

So 2023, we see hope but the hope is based on how much workers are able to turn out with their voter’ cards to vote, because,  if you want to vote out bad government, it  is not by shouting, it is not by protests. In Nigeria right now we have an opportunity to vote out bad government, especially government that does not wish well for Nigerian workers, and the only weapon we have is our PVC. So I believe very strongly that the horrible living condition workers face will form the basis for them to come out en mass to exercise their voting rights for a government that will treat them better.

Preferred  candidates  

At the appropriate time we give workers a direction. I am sure that each of the candidates knows that the interests of workers are paramount. And as a government, if you want to survive; you need workers that have the energy, workers that will operate in a good environment that will also be competitive in terms of the socio-economic needs. So, at the appropriate time the Association will direct its members.

We want a candidate that has the capacity, capability, honest and based on his past records; friendly to workers. And if we have that I think we are okay because the problem of this country’s leadership. So when we get a leadership that can turn the opportunities we have in this country for the betterment of the citizenry, I think we are good.

Decent work 

Decent Work Agenda, I’m very familiar with. But to practical is it means provision of a conducive working environment, wage protection, and the wage being such that can enable you to care  for your family. These are indicators of a decent work: you have a living wage, conducive working environment, availability of working  tools.

So, skills, environment, and the economy play a major role in actualization of decent work agenda. Skills should be built to match what is required by the employers, work must operate in an  environment that enables opportunity for productivity growth, and an economy that enables a worker to meet his or her socio-economic needs. That’s to me is the basis on which a decent work agenda you rests.

Unionism is about educating the workers. We have workers education come through conferences and seminars, bringing in developmental issues and industrial relations. We are at the top on this. And again, we are ensuring that our workers are well skilled to match the 21st century workforce. These are things we do, and that is why even in association we make sure we create the enabling environment for our units, to organize seminars, even our branches and chapters. We organize seminars, training conferences.

Leadership tussle 

The slogan of workers’ unions is struggle continues and forward ever backward never. We don’t go back. We move forward. And in struggle, you’ll continue to do that. So, we are moving forward, and every leader knows their followers. And when we talk about industrial relations, they run through organs. We have the CDC, we have the NEC which is the is ruling and decision making body.

Once NEC ratified any decision, the only organ that can upturn it is the national delegate conference that comes every four years except where there is a need for an emergency. So, anything outside that, you can’t  get it. So, whoever is parading himself without the endorsement or the confirmation of the NEC is just a waste of time. Besides, that, nobody can force himself  on people. If the people say they don’t need you. I think the best option is for you to just stay.

I repeat again, every follower knows the leader, and as far as I’m concerned I’m holding on to the helms of affairs because the NEC decided so. And I’m serving out my tenure that will end in 2024. Whatever anybody is going about to say or do is just a distraction tool which will never work.