Abia workers among Nigeria’s most disadvantaged —PDP gov candidate, Anosike

Abia State PDP governorship candidate, Dr Kelechi Anosike, in this interview with CHRISTIAN APPOLOS, speaks on workers’ welfare, the new national minimum wage and plans to review cases of dismissed workers in the state.

You have described Abia workers as among the most disadvantaged in Nigeria. What informs this assessment, and what would you do differently to improve their condition?

The Abia worker is one of the most disadvantaged workers in Nigeria, in my assessment. Workers in the state are suffering, and I want to restore the dignity of the workforce and create a motivated workforce in Abia.

That is why I believe the government must put workers and their welfare at the centre of its policies. The whole essence of government is to take care of the people. Without the people, there is no government.

When the government introduces policies and programmes without sufficient regard for the people affected, I become concerned. That is one of the reasons I joined politics and why I am contesting: to ensure that the people are at the centre of governance.

For me, workers’ welfare goes beyond the salary paid at the end of the month. It includes healthcare, housing, transportation, their children’s education and a conducive working environment.

We want to restore the dignity of the Abia worker, give workers a sense of belonging and motivate them to perform their duties effectively.

You were quoted as saying that some workers in Abia State are not receiving the full ₦70,000 national minimum wage. What is the basis for this claim, and how would you address the situation?

The minimum wage moved from ₦30,000 to ₦70,000, and the state government agreed to pay the approved amount. However, I have alleged that some workers are not receiving the full amount.

Some, according to the information available to me, have received increases of only ₦7,000 or ₦10,000.

The government must ensure that workers receive what they are entitled to under the applicable minimum-wage arrangements. Where there are discrepancies, they should be investigated and corrected.

I have also raised concerns about workers who have been promoted but are allegedly not receiving the salaries attached to their new grades.

How do you promote somebody without paying the salary attached to the new level? These are issues that need to be examined and resolved.

Workers deserve to be treated fairly, and the government must honour its obligations to them.

If organised labour and the Federal Government negotiate and approve a new national minimum wage before you assume office, will you pay the agreed amount, even if it is higher than your earlier proposal?

Yes. Whatever minimum wage the Federal Government negotiates and approves, we will pay. Even if it is above ₦90,000, we will pay it.

My position is that workers deserve better wages, but any policy must also be sustainable.

One of the things I learnt while in the United Kingdom is the importance of sustainability. Before embarking on a project or policy, you must consider how it will be sustained.

In Nigeria, we sometimes complete projects before thinking about their maintenance and sustainability. I do not want to approach workers’ welfare that way.

Even the current ₦70,000 minimum wage is not really a living wage when you consider the cost of school fees, healthcare, accommodation and other necessities.

We will examine the state’s wage bill and financial position, but our objective is to improve workers’ earnings and living conditions. Where a new national minimum wage is negotiated and approved, we will honour it.

How do you intend to fund the payment of a higher minimum wage and the additional welfare programmes you have promised?

There are funds available to run a government that is committed to the welfare of its people.

With the removal of the fuel subsidy and the increase in revenue accruing to states and local governments, we need to examine how these resources are being used.

My position is that public revenue should translate into improved living conditions for the people.

I have argued that substantial amounts have accrued to Abia State and its local governments in recent years. The state government and local governments must be accountable for how these resources are spent.

The question is whether workers and residents can see the impact of the revenue in their living conditions, workplaces, roads, healthcare and other public services.

Our policy is called Let Your Money Work for You. The resources available to each local government should contribute to the development of that local government.

Abia is not just Aba and Umuahia. The state has 17 local government areas, and development should reach all of them.

We will examine the wage bill, revenue and expenditure obligations to ensure that our commitments are sustainable.

You have promised to review the cases of about 15,000 workers dismissed by a previous administration. Does this mean all of them will be reinstated?

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No. There will be a committee to review their cases individually and determine the circumstances surrounding each dismissal.

The committee will examine their employment records, the circumstances of their dismissal, what they were earning when they left and whether they remain eligible for active service.

Some of them may have reached 60 years of age or completed 35 years of service by the time we assume office.

For those who have reached retirement age or completed the required years of service, it may not be appropriate to return them to active employment. However, their cases will be reviewed, and provision will be made for eligible salary arrears for the period they were out of work, subject to verification and the applicable rules.

Behind every worker is a family. When a worker loses a job unexpectedly, the family struggles to pay school fees, provide food and meet other basic needs.

The government must consider the human consequences of its decisions.

You cannot simply dismiss people employed by a predecessor because they were employed by that predecessor. That amounts to political victimisation.

If I become governor and dismiss everyone employed by the outgoing administration, only to replace them with my own people, the cycle will continue.

Government should be about continuity, fairness and service to the people, not using public employment to settle political scores.

Some may argue that the dismissals were intended to reduce the wage bill or improve the efficiency of the public service. How would you balance workers’ welfare with the need for an efficient workforce?

That is why I have proposed a committee to examine the cases individually.

We must establish the facts rather than make a blanket decision. If a worker has reached retirement age, we should not return that person to active service simply to fulfil a political promise.

At the same time, if a dismissal was unjustified, the circumstances must be addressed in accordance with the law and applicable employment rules.

Our responsibility is to ensure fairness without compromising the effectiveness of the public service.

The objective is not to bring everybody back regardless of the circumstances. It is to correct injustice, protect workers’ rights and ensure that the public service has the capacity to deliver.

Beyond wages and the review of dismissed workers’ cases, what measures would you introduce to improve the welfare of workers and their families?

Healthcare is very important. If you pay a worker a good salary but do not address the cost of medical services, that worker will still struggle.

A family can spend a significant part of its income treating a common illness. We must therefore develop a health insurance system that protects workers and their families.

We also plan to establish what I have described as trust hospitals. Under the proposed arrangement, people who are not covered by the health insurance scheme would pay 40 per cent of eligible treatment costs, while the government would absorb the remaining 60 per cent.

The details would have to be worked out to ensure that the programme is properly funded and sustainable.

Housing is another major issue. We need to examine how the government can support housing development, create new layouts and establish mortgage or housing schemes that make accommodation more accessible to workers.

It is unfortunate for people to serve in the public service for decades and retire without owning a home.

We must also improve transportation. A reliable transport system helps workers get to work on time and improves productivity.

If a worker leaves home early but spends hours waiting for a bus, that affects punctuality, performance and the person’s family life.

A public transport system must be planned properly and operated reliably. When people can depend on it, they will be more willing to use it.

When we talk about workers’ welfare, we are talking about a complete package: wages, healthcare, housing, transportation, education for their children and decent working conditions.

What is your assessment of industrial relations in Abia, particularly the strikes and disputes involving public-sector workers? How would your administration engage organised labour?

I believe the condition of workers must be one of the measures used to assess any government.

If workers are repeatedly embarking on strikes over unresolved issues, the government must examine why those disputes are occurring and address them.

I have raised concerns about industrial disputes involving judicial workers and university workers in the state. These issues require constructive engagement between government and organised labour.

The government should not wait for disputes to escalate before addressing workers’ grievances.

We need regular engagement with labour unions, respect for agreements and a transparent process for resolving disputes.

I also believe that public revenue must produce visible improvements in workers’ lives and public services.

The welfare of workers cannot be reduced to announcements. It must be reflected in their pay, working conditions, access to healthcare and general standard of living.

What is your final message to workers in Abia State?

I want workers to understand that they are central to the development of Abia State.

No government can succeed without a motivated and productive workforce. If workers are treated fairly, paid appropriately and provided with a conducive working environment, they are better positioned to serve the public.

We want to restore the dignity of the Abia worker and give workers a sense of belonging.

Our commitments include payment of whatever new national minimum wage is negotiated and approved, health insurance, improved housing and transportation, and a review of the cases of dismissed workers.

We also want to ensure that public resources are used to improve the lives of people across all 17 local government areas.

I believe workers should judge us by these proposals and hold us accountable for delivering on them.