Okechukwu finally appealed to the organised labour to remember the blood and tears shed decades ago by compatriots en route the return to democracy.
By Jeffrey Agbo
Former Director General of Voice of Nigeria (VON), Osita Okechukwu, has appealed to organised labour to desist from the danger of throwing away what he described as Nigeria’s “baby-democracy with bathwater,” noting that the indefinite strike could destablise the economy, and spiral into unintended consequences.
This comes as the labour plans to embark on industrial action from Monday, June 3 over the minimum wage impasse.
In a statement on Sunday, Okechukwu agreed with the organised labour that the labourer is entitled to living wage, especially in the midst of stagflation and declining living conditions; however he advised labour to adopt house ownership for every worker as middle ground, to augment the N60,000 offered by government and the private sector.
He argued that rent is one of the items in Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, which is tearing the hair of workers nationwide, as workers spend one third of their disposal income on shelter related matters.
The APC chieftain added that house ownership gives workers peace of mind, improves living conditions and encourages productivity.
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He accordingly called on President Bola Tinubu to as matter of urgent national importance to retool his Renewed Hope housing programme and embark on house ownership for all workers nationwide as alternative to unaffordable minimum wage.
“Mr President, house ownership for all workers is the doable middle ground in this impasse, as workers over the years have been contributing 2.5% of their salary to the National Housing Fund; all that is needed is Federal, State, LGA and private sector’s supplement,” Okechukwu said.
He maintained that the N497,000 is unaffordable, because more than 10 states either could not or had blatantly refused to pay N30,000 till date.
“Whereas one agrees with the working people that there is economic hardship and declining standard of living; albeit ownership houses is the middle ground in this impasse and better than more liquid cash which could spiral hyperinflation out of hand and lead to mass retrenchment of workers,” Okechukwu retorted.
Okechukwu finally appealed to the organised labour to remember the blood and tears shed decades ago by compatriots en route the return to democracy; “therefore we should not in vain throw the Baby-Democracy away with Bathwater.”