Nigerians Yet to Feel Economic Growth, Civil Servants’ Union Says
The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) says Nigerians, particularly workers, are yet to feel the impact of the economic growth reported by the Federal Government.
ASCSN President, Shehu Mohammed, stated this on Wednesday during the association’s South-West zonal workshop, themed “A Shift from Confrontation to Collaboration,” in Lagos.
Mohammed said the latest Gross Domestic Product (GDP) figures released by the Federal Government had not translated into improved living conditions for Nigerians.
According to him, workers remain a critical part of the economy but are struggling under the pressure of inflation and rising living costs.
He said the N70,000 minimum wage had already lost significant value to inflation even before its full implementation, adding that workers would begin preparations for negotiations on a new minimum wage next year.
“By next year, we are going into negotiations for a new minimum wage. So, any moment from now, in the pre-negotiation session, we need to kick-start the process so we have our data across the table and can negotiate a better minimum wage for Nigerian workers,” he said.
Mohammed also attributed the sharp increase in petrol prices to the removal of fuel subsidy, noting that Nigerians now purchase petrol at prices influenced by international market rates.
He expressed concern that the situation had become more difficult because several of the country’s refineries were not functioning adequately.
“Upon the removal of subsidy, that means you are going to buy fuel at international market rates, despite the fact that we have refineries that are not functioning. So, that has caused fuel prices to escalate to this level of over N1,000,” he said.
The ASCSN president stressed that improving the economic wellbeing of civil servants would have a positive impact on the wider economy.
Meanwhile, the immediate past President of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN), Festus Osifo, has called for workers’ salaries in the oil and gas sector to be reviewed in line with the prevailing inflation rate.
Osifo, who is also President of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), made the call at a reception organised by the TotalEnergies E&P branch of PENGASSAN to mark the completion of his six-year tenure as union president.
He urged stakeholders in the oil and gas industry to prioritise job security and workers’ welfare, stressing that remuneration must reflect prevailing economic realities.
Osifo maintained that protecting jobs and ensuring that workers’ incomes keep pace with inflation should remain key priorities in shaping the future of Nigeria’s oil and gas sector.
