Austerity measures: ASCSN warns FG against sacking worker
The
Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria has warned of serious
consequences if the Federal Government decides to retrench workers under
the guise of implementing its austerity measures announced last month.
A statement on Tuesday in Abuja by the
President of ASCSN, Bobboi Kaigama, and Secretary-General, Alade Lawal,
said that any attempt by the government to sack workers or reduce their
salaries in the name of austerity measures would amount to a declaration
of war on the Nigerian workers and would be resisted by the labour
movement.
The ASCSN said, “When the economy boomed,
the political office holders were freeloading as if there is no
tomorrow while most Nigerian workers live below $2 per day. During that
same period, workers called for better pay package but were rebuffed by
the ruling elite. It was enjoyment galore for those in government while
helpless and hapless workers roasted as if they were not also
stakeholders in the system.
“Indeed, as of today, the meagre N18,000
monthly minimum wage approved in 2011 by the Federal Government has not
been fully implemented by some state governments and as such it will be
the height of insensitivity for any government to contemplate sacking
civil servants or reducing their pay in the name of austerity measures.”
The association added that it had advised
the Federal Government many times to reduce the huge pay packets and
mouth-watering allowances of political office holders and to check other
leakages that encourage corruption in the system, but that the wise
counsel had been rebuffed.
It said, “Records will also show that
this union on several occasions cautioned the Federal Government to stop
the depletion of foreign reserves and the needless rush to seek foreign
loans for white elephant projects because such mindless profligacy can
only lead to the collapse of the economy.
“It is very sad that it took a drastic
drop in the price of crude oil in the international market for the
managers of the Nigerian economy, including self-styled experts, to
realise that the government must exercise restraint in the squander
mania that has been going on in the country, including plugging of
loopholes to beef up government revenue base.”
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