Press Release Archives - Centre for Social Justice

Press Release: Creating a Safe and Healthy Environment for Nigerian Workers

Center for Social Justice — Wed, 01 May 2024 11:07:12 +0000

As we join the rest of the world to celebrate International Labor Day 2024, Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) recalls that the theme of the 2024 celebration focuses on ensuring safety and health at work in a changing climate. It is a fundamental aphorism that motivated, well paid workers working in a safe and healthy environment are the best contributors to national development. Therefore, safeguarding the wellbeing of workers in Nigeria will enhance the level of productivity of the workforce and this in turn guarantees positive economic growth.

We note with deep regret that Nigerian workers have over the years been subjected to various levels of deprivation. Some of such notable deprivation that have affected the wellbeing of the Nigerian workforce include poor remuneration evidenced by a minimum wage that is one of the poorest in the world, very low pensions that are not paid and, in most states, have fallen into arrears. Others include challenges of affordable housing and access to quality health care. Ironically, the Federal Government had set up policies and programs to cater for the aforementioned schemes but it has failed to demonstrate the political will to implement these policies for the full benefit of Nigerian workers.

For instance, in the housing sector, despite the existence of the National Housing Fund, where Nigerian workers make a co-payment contribution to attain a mortgage facility, workers still struggle to get an accommodation of their own. This same scenario applies in the health and wellbeing of Nigerian Workers. Nigerian workers have expressed dissatisfaction with the quality of services received through the National Health Insurance Scheme, despite their co-contribution to the scheme. Most health care services are also not covered under the scheme, subjecting workers to pay out of pocket if they must access such services. It is also alarming to note that most states of the federation have a reputation of owing retired workers their pensionable benefits. There are reported cases where pensioners have died while awaiting their pensions, some of which were diverted for other purposes or simply mismanaged.

In light of the above, we call on the governments to use this occasion to reflect on life saving measures that would put smiles on the faces of Nigerian workers. Also, given the fact that some government policies such as the removal of fuel subsidy, increased tariff on electricity and flotation of the Naira have added to the cost of living in Nigeria, the Federal and State governments should pay more focus on programs and policies that would alleviate the suffering experienced by workers.

Against the background of the foregoing, CSJ proffers the following recommendations:

Government should take concrete and targeted steps to mainstream a safe and healthy environment for all Nigerian workers irrespective of their cadre.
To fast track the negotiations for a minimum wage and ensure that Nigerian workers get a living wage indexed on the cost of maintaining an adequate standard of living and the promotion of human dignity.
The government at all levels should ensure that the health and safety of all Nigerian workers becomes their top-most priority by upgrading the services offered under health insurance schemes and fully implement the compulsory health insurance regime provided in the National Health Insurance Authority Act. This will include introducing greater transparency and value for money under the Basic Health Care Provision Fund.
The FGN should revive the National Housing Scheme, and ensure that it delivers on the promise of affordable housing for workers.
FGN and the states should fight corruption to a standstill to ensure that resources are available to guarantee safety and a conducive environment for Nigerians workers.

Eze Onyekpere Esq.

Lead Director

Press Release Creating a Safe and Healthy Environment for Nigerian Workers (496 downloads )

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In Celebration of International Women’s Day 2024

Center for Social Justice — Fri, 08 Mar 2024 12:30:18 +0000

In celebration of the International Women’s day 2024 and focused on the need to inspire inclusion, Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) affirms that the theme of investing in women to accelerate progress is pivotal to the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals and a Nigeria free of poverty, inequality, and discrimination. The theme is also imperative for the realisation of the goal of the National Gender Policy which is to build a just society devoid of discrimination, where the needs and concerns of women, men, girls, boys, and other vulnerable groups are mainstreamed equitably into all sectors of national development

CSJ recalls the feminization of poverty in Nigeria and the inequality prevalent in access to basic services including education and health. In education, out of the over 20million out of school children, two thirds are girls; low comparative levels of literacy, education and livelihood skills among women and girls and many girls who never get a “second chance” opportunity in education. The foregoing distorts the goal of equity and equality. Education has been recognized by scholars as both “a human right in itself and an indispensable means of realizing other human rights. As an empowerment right, education is the primary vehicle by which economically and socially marginalized adults and children can lift themselves out of poverty and obtain the means to participate fully in their communities. Education has a vital role in empowering women, safeguarding children from exploitative and hazardous labour and sexual exploitation, promoting human rights and democracy, protecting the environment, and controlling population growth. Increasingly, education is recognized as one of the best financial investments States can make”

In health, Nigeria records scandalously high maternal mortality and morbidity rates; the highest number of child brides in Africa; and the third highest number of women and girls in the world who have undergone female genital mutilation. However, the right to health is an intrinsic part of the right to life because the easiest way to deprive a person of her life is to deny her of health supporting conditions to the point of abrogation. Indeed, from these statistics, Nigeria has been denying women of health supporting conditions for the validation of their right to life.

In agriculture, despite the fact that women constitute over 70% of the farmers, they own less than 20% of agricultural assets and farms.

Beyond these two sectors, the emerging data for women and girls in other sectors are not impressive as the state fails in its duty to respect, protect and fulfil women’s rights to equal opportunities. In the circumstances, CSJ calls on the Federal and State Governments to increase investments in women and girls. In carrying this out, it is recommended inter alia:

FGN and State Governments working through the respective Budget Offices, Ministry of Women Affairs and others MDAs develop gender responsive indicators for mainstreaming gender in the budget across all ministries, departments and agencies.

The review of the National Social Register and the Registers for benefitting from the Basic Health Care Provision Fund to mainstream women and girls who form the predominant block of Nigeria’s poor as beneficiaries from the social interventions. It is imperative to mainstream women and girls as beneficiaries in the ongoing distribution of palliatives by Federal and State Governments.

Increase investments in gender sensitive farming equipment and ensure equitable distribution of public resources in agriculture to real farmers, especially small-scale women farmers, while weeding out political farmers.

The relisting and expeditious passage by the Tenth National Assembly of the five gender bills earlier rejected by the Ninth National Assembly. This will increase women’s representation in elected and appointed positions as well as create opportunities for women in every sphere of human endeavor.

Finally, we call on the government, private and social sectors to enhance investments in women and girls to right the wrongs of history.

2024 Celebration of the International Women (411 downloads )

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World Social Justice Day Press Release 2024

Center for Social Justice — Tue, 20 Feb 2024 10:15:24 +0000

As we celebrate the World Day of Social Justice 2024, Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) calls on all tiers of government in Nigeria to take concrete and targeted steps to
mainstream social justice into all processes, mechanisms and instruments of governance. The theme of the 2024 World Day of Social Justice – “”Bridging Gaps, Building Alliances.” – indicates that there is no better time than now for the government to bridge the gap of increasing poverty, hunger and degraded living conditions occasioned by the rising cost of living. This is also the time to bridge the inequality gap against the background of the ostentatious and opulent lifestyles of top level public servants and elected officials. While the average Nigerian has been subjected to misery, the ruling class revel in a competition to mismanage and abuse public resources.

With increased resources available to the three tiers of government arising from the removal of fuel subsidy and floatation of the Naira, there was a public expectation under
the Renewed Hope Agenda that these new resources would be invested for the public good in education, health, housing, roads and other infrastructure. Rather than investing the resources to bridge the gap between the rich and the poor and build a national alliance and consensus for development, the leaders have cornered all the resources for their personal gain as there is nothing to show for the increased resources available to the government. Promises of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu era had remained pipe dreams and none has been fulfilled.

The Abacha presidency era had the Petroleum Trust Fund while the Goodluck Jonathan era had SURE-P for the investment of fuel subsidy removal gains. The Bola Ahmed Tinubu presidency has NOTHING to show. Rather, we have witnessed a bloating of the cost of governance and frivolous expenditure.

The three arms of government have not demonstrated any sense of patriotism to bridge the gap of injustice, inequality and poverty in Nigeria. On the part of the Judiciary, we have witnessed the brazen attempt of senior judges to install/appoint their relations by all means as judges of the various courts. The executive and legislature have refused to cut down the cost of governance and re-channel the bulk of the public resources to cushion the effects of poverty. It is alarming, that in the face of the current hardship plaguing the nation, the President still maintains a bloated retinue of staff with increased personnel cost, while the legislators went on a spending spree in the procurement of SUVs worth 160million each for its members. The legislature also scandalously increased its budget. The government refuses to pay the promised wage award of N35,000 to civil servants whereas the minimum wage still remains a paltry N30,000.

We call on the government to use this occasion to reflect on implementing life-saving measures that would bridge the gap of inequality experienced by 133million multi dimensionally poor Nigerians. It is not too late for the Federal Government to review and course correct on its stringent policies such as the removal of fuel subsidy and the floating of the naira which has resulted in run-away inflation and high cost of living. Against the background of the foregoing, CSJ proffers the following recommendations:

Bridge the gap of poverty by drastically reducing the cost of governance and redirect more public resources to meet the needs and welfare of the poor.
The President should review the economic team and build alliances with competent citizens in all political affiliations who have proven capacity to proffer solutions that will reposition the economy.
Social welfare programs should be created to benefit poor and vulnerable Nigerians who are currently grappling with the economic hardship plaguing the nation.
Principal officers of the three arms of government should be rededicated to service delivery and effective implementation of mandates as well the tenets of social justice – the national interest above the self-interest.

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World Social Justice Day Press Release 2024 (542 downloads )

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