NLC, strike and Akwa Ibom’s future

By Joe Peter
The leadership of Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) in Akwa Ibom State recently called off its two week-old struck, which many saw as an attempt to arm-twist government into taking wrong decisions. Labours demand included the implemention of the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) and review the Consolidated Judiciary Salary Structure. On the minimum way which Governor Godswill Akpabio recently released N16billion for the clearance of the backlog from April, 2011, the workers demanded that the increment table must be across board.
When the Federal Government promulgated the law establishing N18,000.00 as minimum wage, many states raised concerns most of which pointedly accused the government at the centre of undemocratic behaviour stating that it cannot from Abuja impose a heavy burden on states as it was not in an appreciable position to know the states’ financial obligations and priorities. Many states were categorical about its inability to pay, citing lean financial purses . Up till now, a lot of dust is still in the air. But Akpabio had since started paying the minimum wage, bringing to rest an issue that has remained contentious in many other states.

Yet, the leadership of Labour’s decision to down tools, smacked of bad taste. It showed a lack of appreciation of an act of good faith with goodwill. In the process to whip public sentiment, Labour contrived inane claims nuanced with spurious statistics in a despicable bid to bring the State Government into disrepute. In doing so, they forgot in a hurry that a few months ago, they had given Akpabio an award for the third consecutive times, as the most Labour-friendly governor in the country. The awards came from both the local NLC as well as the national body! The said awards were reportedly based on verifiable records which established and affirmed the administration’s many gestures to workers ranging from “Akpabiomba” being the 13th month salary always paid to workers, restoration of many perquisites to workers, an across board addition of N100,000.00 (One Hundred Thousand Naira) to the earnings of all retired permanent secretaries, an across board addition of 20% to the earnings of all pensioners. For the minimum wage, as soon as it was announced, the State Government indicated interest that it would pay. Such robust record made Governor Akpabio the darling of Labou,r making the recent postulation of the leadership of Labour that the governor is hostile to workers untenable and suspect. 
For the leadership of Labour that has at different fora made public pronouncements on the exceptional nature of the administration in the area of Labour relations and sensitivity to the yearnings of workers to so suddenly alter its position for reasons that are not validly adduceable to adopt an adversarial role smacks of an execution of a written script that has the signature of the opposition. One is constrained to see it as the metaphorical hand of Esau and voice of Jacob. Unfortunately, the innocent and uninformed workers became the cannon fodders for this incendiary politics denominated by hatred patented by a few enemies of the state of which the leadership of Labour unwittingly joined.

How does one reconcile the adversarial posture of Labour against a government that has alleviated public burden through intervention in health sector, free and compulsory education, enduring public infrastructure complemented with robust welfare package; all of which workers are direct beneficiaries except to see such action from the prism of hatred and parochialism. Akpabio’s administration last year earmarked N52 billion for recurrent expenditure. This year, it has again budgeted N66 billion for recurrent expenditure. What this means in succinct terms is that Akpabio’s administration always provides enough funds for the operations of the civil service which is the hub of government. As a matter of fact, the sums provided for the operations of the civil service bureaucracy alone are more than the budgets of most states. 
Agreed there could have been a few misgivings, misunderstanding or communication lull here and there, but should they have foreclosed dialogue? We learn that while the thought of strike was brewing in whispers with the spurious claims that other states were paying higher than Akwa Ibom State, the governor graciously gave the leadership of Labour a charge to authenticate the claims and revert to him for discussions. But because the leadership of Labour was set for mischief and blackmail with strike uppermost in their minds, they refused to tow the honourable path of dialogue which would have peacefully resolved the matter. Conscious of the high premium any responsible government places on workers, the leadership of Labour initiated an ambush tactics using the weapon of strike to seek the crippling of activities of government. As Henry Ward Beecher noted “greatness lies not in being strong but in the right use of strength”. This is one instance where strength was roundly abused. No thanks to the leadership of NLC in the state.

The Akwa Ibom drama compeled a recollection of Shakespeare’s comment in Hamlet: “Be thou as chaste as ice, as pure as snow, thou shall not escape calumny”. At no time has Akwa Ibom State been so celebrated even by outsiders, not because of the face that occupies Hill-Top mansion but the verifiable indices of actions and activities that have corralled into what is called uncommon transformation. The breath-taking changes are there for all to see and for the blinds to feel. People throng the state everyday to behold the wonder that has been wrought in just 4½ years. The concept of destination which was initially a casual refrain has now acquired a life of its own as it is serving out the true meaning of the concept.

But in Akwa Ibom State, cynicism is still being patented by a few who are bent on imploding the state. Labour Union by its very nature and engagement is a discerning enterprise that should insulate itself from pedestrian influences. Labour is often well underscored by the exhaustiveness and profoundness of its leaders who must persist in steering the people only in the right direction. Workers look up to their leaders and the leaders work at earning their trust. The future for Akwa Ibom workers, therefore, depend on how fast the leaders to work to earn the trust of the workers. Already, they have implicit confidence in the government of Chief Akpabio. That was why some workers argued with the leadership of NLC in the State that the strike was unnecessary because Akpabio has proven to be a man of his words. In other words, they urged that the action be called off as the governor has over the years earned their trust both in action and words!