Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief of The Guardian, Martins Oloja, Chairman of Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission (ICPC), Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye and his predecessor, Ekpo Nta, yesterday converged on Abuja to seek possible ways of negotiating a living wage for Nigerian workers.
The dialogue was put together by the Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria (ACAN), in collaboration with Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies, with the theme, “National Policy Dialogue on Living Wages and Corruption in Nigeria.”
Speaking as a panelist, Oloja, who regretted that it would be difficult for workers to get a living wage with the level of corruption and impunity in the public space, urged civic society organisations and the media to hold government at all levels accountable, with a view to bringing to ending impunity in the land.
He insisted that this remains the only veritable vehicle to getting a living wage for workers. His words: “I think one of the issues is the culture of impunity that is becoming a way of life. We need to put pressure on non-governmental organisations to hold the government accountable. The media should ensure that we do not have this culture of impunity.”
Owasanoye, in his contribution, said research had shown that widespread corruption in the public service was creating corruption in every social sphere and making public servants and citizens normalise acceptance of bribes.
He said: “Increases in the cost of accessing public services for citizens have been found to be badly motivated and sustained by inadequate wages and rising costs of living daily.”
In his keynote address, Prof. Dafe Itobo, who described living wage as remuneration for a standard workweek by a worker in a particular place sufficient to afford a decent living for workers and their families, called for a complete overhaul of the obviously defective policies and implementation formats.
He urged the government to seek ways on how to produce affordable and adequate housing, healthcare, food, transportation, education, urban mass transportation and other basic amenities.
At ICPC dialogue, Oloja, Owosanoye, others brainstorm on living wage
The photo caption is messy. Please, use this: Director General, Bureau for Public Service Reforms (BPSR), Dr Dasuki Arabi (left); Chairman, National Salaries and Wages Commission, Ekpo Nta; Professor of Finance and Capital Market at Nassarawa State University, Keffi, Prof. Uchenna Uwaleke; Chairman, Independent Corrupt Practices and other related Offences Commission (ICPC), Prof. Bolaji Owasanoye; Director General/Chief Executive Officer, Micheal Imodu National Institute of Labour Studies, Issa Aremu; Provost, Anti-Corruption Academy of Nigeria (ACAN), Professor Olatunde Babawale; Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief, The Guardian Newspapers, Mr Martins Oloja, and Retired Professor of Industrial Relations, University of Lagos, Professor Dafe Otobo during the National Policy Dialogue on Living Wages and Corruption in Nigeria, in Abuja yesterday.
