The Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) has urged the Federal Government to create an enabling working environment that could bring about an increase in productivity.
ASCSN’s President, Mr Tommy Okon, made the call in an interview on Thursday in Lagos.
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Mr Chris Ngige, had said that the government would soon announce salary increments for civil servants and public officials due to the steady increase in prices of consumables.
“We accept the fact that there should be increase in salary, which is long overdue, but for us to reduce inflation because if you increase salary and inflation still bites hard, it therefore means that whatever you are increasing is meaningless
“Government should pay attention to production by revamping all the industries that have gone moribund, reduce the consumption and improve exports.
“If you improve exports, the foreign earnings will bring down the level of inflation and our local currency will have strength to compete favourably and that will save the workers rights and also give workers hope for 2023, “ he said.
Okon said that come 2023, there should be a symbiotic relationship between the government and the unions.
According to him, where there is effective labour management relations, industrial peace and harmony, there is bound to be productivity.
“Also, when there is productivity, it is increased; then there is what we call national competitiveness and international ranking which will save us in the world of work as expected in 2023, “ he said.
The labour leader also called for social links with the informal sector vis a vis the new monetary policy; according to him, the informal economy does not depend so much on banking.
He urged the government to review the withdrawal limit proposed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), especially with the Point of Sale (POS), which every informal economy depended on.
“In as much as we are not against the new financial policy as it affects the cashless economy, there should, however, be an avenue where the limit as proposed to by the CBN should be re- looked into.
“Without the informal economy thriving, there will be a lot of poverty in spite of the social safety net; when the informal sector survives, it thereby reduces the unemployment situation in the country, “ Okon said.
He urged the government to ensure peaceful coexistence during the festival season, ensuring that all its security arms were well to maintain peace in the country without being politically biased.
Okon said: “The government should also ensure that it checks the incessant kidnappings, banditry and high level insecurity in the country.
”This will enable farmers to go to farm and have enough produce for export and also, domestic consumption.
