Friday, 29th March 2024
To guardian.ng
Search

Why Buhari cannot sustain minimum wage

There is something called fundamental option which underlies a person’s actions and inactions. The fundamental options of Nigeria’s President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (GMB) on his way to power

Sir: There is something called fundamental option which underlies a person’s actions and inactions. The fundamental options of Nigeria’s President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (GMB) on his way to power were (and still are) to: (1) amass wealth for himself and family (2) secure Fulani herdsmen, and (3) annihilate Boko Haram and the Shiites.

So far, the first desire is the only one that GMB has achieved and will ever achieve, having doubled himself as the Petroleum Minister and is recovering looted funds without accountability for anything to anybody. He will never be able to achieve the other two desires. Obviously the desire to satisfy workers was not in GMB’s fundamental options. From 1999 to date, only the former President, General Olusegun Obasanjo (OBJ) had the desire to satisfy workers, and he tried, inter alia his establishment of the National Health Insurance Scheme and the Pension Scheme.

GMB’s other fundamental options that he would never be able to achieve happen to be the most diabolical and responsible for the worst carnage and economic destruction of Nigeria; worse than Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan who started the carnage and economic destruction of Nigeria, 2009-2015.

Nigeria workers should blame themselves for not crying foul over the unjustifiable war against Boko Haram and the protection of the Fulani herdsmen terrorists because a crippled person creating a problem is creating it for the non-physically challenged. Why was there no wild protests when GMB insisted on doubling himself as the Petroleum Minister, and he was said to be signing contracts for the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation in his sick bed in London, about which neither Yemi Osinbajo, as the acting president, nor Ibe Kachikwu, as the second petroleum minister knew nothing until Kachikwu raised eyebrows?

Nigeria workers cannot afford not to insist that the minimum wage of paltry N30, 000 be paid justly to all workers since there has been no increment since 2015 when fuel price was increased from N97 to N145 per liter, and hyperinflation is making life miserable for workers at all levels, except for GMB and his family members who could afford to go overseas for medical care. GMB can boast of degrading Boko Haram, but not that many more Nigerians are better than he met them.

Was Nigeria not better when Boko Haram was controlling some local governments than now that kidnappers are reigning nationwide? The killing of three Police officers in Taraba State is suggesting that some military officers have become accomplices in the kidnapping crime.

Under GMB, Nigeria is experiencing war against Boko Haram; the protection of the Fulani herdsmen terrorists, coupled with the mushrooming armed bandits and kidnapping gangs. If you do not pray that GMB should resign, you are a child of Beelzebub. Moreover, workers’ unions should confront Nigeria rulers who are not ready for the restructuring and welfare of Nigerians. Peaceful but effective protests that will draw international sympathy are imperative.

Prof. Ọlọjẹẹde Oyeniran Abiọjẹ, wrote from University of Ilorin.

 

0 Comments