The excesses expressed by some Unionist and civil society groups in the country appear to assume an alarming proportion, creating doubts as to the real intention of the promoters and the end goals of such radical maneuvers.
Understandably, these are not the best of times for the nation, with soaring food prices, petrol costs, and skyrocketing rents. The sharp reduction in the purchasing power of parents and guardians is also not helping matters. Above all, the unresolved contending issues like the vexatious Electoral Amendment Act, which leaves much to be desired is as much a cause for concern as they are a source of worry for Nigerians. But the biggest headache is the manipulation of the system by a few seemingly misguided individuals masquerading as civil society agents or comrades, not to mention those who hide under the Union umbrella to cause commotion in public places!
These individuals have practically cornered some ministries, departments, and agencies and piled up their miseries while hiding under the camouflage of the Freedom of Expression, otherwise known as the FOI Act. Their typical operation includes singling out a particular Government Agency and working with disgruntled elements within the establishment, trying to cajole the Executive Heads to part with some money; once successful, they retreat for a while only to resurface for another round of demands! One of the government agencies particularly hit is a leading agency in the Power Sector, which they have made their regular playground.
This has been the case so much that in the last few years, the eggheads in the company have doled out several million just to pacify these renegades. The usual system is to create the impression that a “world Press Conference” is in the making about an uncovered corrupt practice; the message is then sent to the relevant authority, who then rally round to halt the process! Lately, they have outgrown that system; the new fad now is to sell a dummy about an impending “picketing” of the office, never mind if they are usurping the function or role of the Labour Union-they just do it, ostensibly exploiting the security lax of the moment!
The nation has become an enduring circle of everyman for himself and free for all trade and practice! Not once or for a second do these perpetrators think of the backlash of their illicit harassment of unsuspecting government officials. What is in their mind is the “payoff” and then the subsequent rollback until another ripe day! The frequent breakdown of a critical asset operated by this government agency appears to have emboldened these back-door actors to dive deeper and dig up more dirt! Only recently, the in-house Union leaders took up arms and marched around the premises, chanting obscene inanities against the oligarchy, something considered an anathema.
In such an event that undermines the constituted authority, the result is, of course, bleak with nothing but anarchy and chaos! This is where kudos ought to be given to the management of that authority for their deft handling of the instigated crisis! What is their grouse? The payment of a supposed 50% increment! This is coming at a time when the management had fulfilled other crucial objectives, payment of numerous allowances, including that of productivity! The Union leaders in this part seem not to have taken into account the bloated work force comprising, according to reports, more than 2,800, of which only 30%, being Technical staff, are actually needed!
The management could have sanctioned the retrenchment of the remaining 70% non-technical staffers because they are actually not needed, but for other familial considerations! Herein lies the insensitivity of some of these actions. On the part of these civil society organisations, the lack of jobs appears to be fuelling their thirst for and hunger for subterranean and indecent tactics to extort cash from government establishments. While not calling for punitive measures against culprits, the requisite machinery has to be put in place to serve asa deterrent. Nonetheless, those behind this evil practice know their limits; for example, they dare not contend with the military establishment where they stand a good chance of being whipped, beaten, and thrown into guardrooms.
But the defenceless government agencies like those in the power sector are sitting ducks to them, mainly because of the less visible threat they pose! For this reason, some of them have become so abusive with the process that it has attracted the attention of law enforcement agencies! Somewhere along the line, common sense ought to prevail to curtail this sad practice. That it has lingered isn’t far from the hunger in the land, which is forcing redundant actors to become ingenious! Somehow, there must be strong regulations to halt or discourage this sad practice of holding government officials hostage. If the repercussions are clearly spelled out, definitely the scourge would abate.
Anyone asking deep questions affecting management decisions should be well-equipped and guided by the laws. Definitely, civil society organisations have their role clearly spelt out, and one of them is not to quiz government agencies and their functionaries; to do so is clearly an aberration! And as it is, this is the right time to call for strengthening of the laws to frustrate these embarrassing agents and put square pegs where they belong!
