22032019- INEC holds make-up polls in 17 states, FCT tomorrow

18 — Vanguard, FRIDAY, MARCH 22, 2019
THE struggle by the Organised
Labour to secure a new National
Minimum Wage, NMW, scored yet
another success on Tuesday, March 19,
2019 as the Senate approved the
N30,000 agreed by a tripartite
committee set up by the Federal
Government. The House of
Representatives had already okayed
the NMW on January 19, 2019.
After this relatively smooth and
speedy sail through the National
Assembly, and with the undertaking
by President Muhammadu Buhari to
implement it, the NMW is expected to
come into effect, at least at the Federal
level, within the third quarter of this
year. While we congratulate the
Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, for
its hard-won victory, there are many
rivers to cross before reaching the
Promised Land.
Though we understand the sense of
Our new minimum wage conundrum
euphoria and anticipation that those
on Federal payroll might be
entertaining, it is important to point
out that the N30,000 NMW ($83.05) is
only above those of Guinea Bissau
($30), Uganda ($22) Somalia, South
Sudan and Zimbabwe (none). South
Africa in August 2018 approved $243
equivalent NMW for its workers,
which is less than that of fellow oilproducing
Gabon ($269).
Compared to most African countries
Nigerian workers earn slavery wages,
which chiefly accounts for the rampant
and endemic corruption ravaging both
the public and private sectors.
With this approval by the National
Assembly, the battleground shifts to
the states and the private sector. Up
to 26 states were owing their workers
months in arrears of salaries and
pensions before the political
campaigns took off in November 2018
while on the old N18,000 NMW. The
state governors resisted the N30,000
NMW, offering instead to pay N22,500
during the negotiations.
Unless there is a change of mind at
that level we may be in for prolonged
Labour disputes, especially with
governors returning with new
mandates. Retrenchment may be on
the cards.
The outlook in the private sector is
even more uncertain because the poor
state of the economy, heavy job losses
and rising unemployment combine to
weaken the capacity of Labour to insist
on strict implementation of the NMW
in private organisations.
The Federal and State Governments
have to explore ways of dramatically
increasing their revenue bases without
unduly preying on the populace
through punitive taxation.
Those calling for the total
restructuring of the economy may
have a strong point, after all, because
the drive to diversify our “command
and control” economy has failed to
yield much result. Unless something
radical is done, the poverty level
among the average Nigerians will
only worsen.
OPINION
Target points for Buhari’s second term
By Carl Umegboro
O whom much is given, much is
‘Texpected”is a universal maxim. The
Bible in the Gospel of Luke 12:48 affirmed it.
By Section 130 (1) and (2) of the 1999
Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria
as amended, which established the office of
President, the first mandate given to President
Muhammadu Buhari in 2015 expires on May
29, 2019. Since Section 135 (1); “Subject to
the provisions of this Constitution, a person
shall hold the office of President until – (a)
when his successor in office takes the oath of
that office”, forbids a vacuum, President Buhari
having been declared the winner of the
February 23- presidential poll will on May 29,
once again take the oath of office for the next
political dispensation lapsing in 2023.
Amidst his campaign, President Buhari
launched the‘Next Level’ with litany of stunning
packages, principally consolidation of his
ground breaking policies for evaluation. From
the policy directions, ‘Change’ is deductively,
necessarily a strategic precursor to Next Level.
Hence, by the umpire’s verdict, the deal
isimpliedly sealed. All things being equal, the
people should be showering Buhari with
accolades at the end of his second term.
Therefore, not only will improvements be
perceptively made, they should manifestly, be
felt by the masses. Above all, the nation’s
supposed status as the ‘Giant of Africa’ must
observably be actualised. And this time; not
just by numerical strength but economic
empowerment, developments and significant
attainments. Categorically, Buhari’s manifesto
unambiguously, expansively captioned
economy, education, infrastructure, health and
social investment programmes, hence, their
facelifts in terms of service deliverynonnegotiable.
Essentially, the Executive Order
7 of 2019 recently signed for unparalleled
strides in infrastructural developments should
gather momentum after inauguration.
Possibly, the merged ministries positioned
under a minister during the economic
recession may have to be unbundled, having
prudently exited the economic crisis to enable
more capable hands come on board. This will
also reduce workloads on the minister sensing
that the innovative policy will likely stimulate
economic and government activities making
it burdensome for a minister to effectively
coordinate multiple ministries synchronously.
By the strategic policy remarkably unveiled
by Buhari’s administration, numerous projects
foreseeingly,will simultaneously be in progress
across the nation unlike the existing ‘slowmotion’
system.
Before I forget, amongst major tasks that
demand taking the bull by the horns is slashing
of outrageous allowances in the National
Assembly. It is unreasonable, imprudent and
exploitative for a lawmaker to collect a
monthly running cost of N13.5million amidst
agonising unemployment ratio and hardships
in the society. Sensibly, there’s no basis for a
legislator to earn more remunerations than
professors, permanent secretaries or ministers
let alone the inexplicably additional monthlyrunning
costs. All the electoral malpractices
and violence leading to scores of deaths of
citizens are traceable to excessively attractive
financial benefits attached to political offices.
Unconsciously, it has gotten to the point that
not one person enthusiastically wants to return
to primary vocation after partaking in the
outrageous packages.
Again, Section 14(2)(b) supra-emphatically
provides that “security and welfare of the
people shall be the primary purpose of
government”. Unfortunately, the masses’
interests clearly have never been a priority in
the country. Instead, masses are usually more
or less like abandoned properties, only
treasured during elections by the political
class either for lawful franchise or thuggery.
Hence, in orchestrating the ‘Next Level’
programmes, the Federal Government should
encouragingly create meaningful pragmatic
schemes for economic empowerment of the
masses, especially youths vis-à-vis nation’s
revenue generation on booster dose through
It is unreasonable for a
lawmaker to collect a monthly
running cost of N13.5m
amidst agonising
unemployment in the society
its commendably proactive policies. For
securitisation, in fact, any poll that must
necessarily gather the public at designated
locations without adequate security personnel
for safety of the vulnerable population is not
only antediluvian but a threat to security of
lives.
As preventive measures on hostility and
violence during general elections which is on
the increase, the government should plan to
migrate to digital voting system in
conventionality with other countries. If not,
the ugly situation may worsen in the next
general elections in 2023 due to increased
political interests, conceivably for pecuniary
interests. To put it another way, the population
is grossly excessive for manual ballot system
in relation to security and financial
implications. For example, INEC recorded
82,344,107 registered voters for the 2019
presidential election. But only 29,364,209 of
the voters representing 35.66 per cent showed
up for accreditation.
Imagine what would have been the situation
if about 82 million registered voters had shown
up to participate in the election. Sensibly, the
nation cannot effectively manage the scenario
vis-à-vis the available workforce. Thus, the
practicable remedy remains digital electoral
system where registered voters can vote from
anywhere without fear of attacks, intimidations
or manipulations.
With that in place, the ethnic crisis that has
repeatedly ensued, particularly in Lagos
between Yorubas and Igbos, will be averted as
people can still be resident outside their home
state and effectively participate in their home
elections, except desired otherwise.
On socio-economic goals, Section 16(2)(b)
of the Constitution unequivocally provides that
“the State shall direct its policy towards
ensuring - that the material resources of the
nation are harnessed and distributed as best
as possible to serve the common good”. The
subsection 2(d) states “that suitable and
adequate shelter, suitable and adequate food,
reasonable national minimum living wage,
old age care and pensions, and unemployment,
sick benefits and welfare of the disabled are
provided for all citizens”. Regrettably,
Fundamental Objectives and Directive
Principles of State Policy in Chapter 2 which
extensively contains striking socioeconomic
rights are non-justiciable pursuant to Section
6(6)(c) supra. Nonetheless, they profoundly and
justifiably remain yardsticks for measuring
progress in the court of public opinion.
Convincingly, if the viable foundations
spiritedly laid by Buhari’s present
administrationwill be tenaciously
consolidated to the latter, without doubt, the
masses in no distant time will eventually feel a
sense of belonging in the nation’s abundant
resources.
*Umegboro, a public affairs analyst, wrote
from Lagos