OGUN STATE TEACHERS’ STRIKE

GOVERNOR AMOSU MUST MEET THE DEMANDS OF TEACHERS AND STOP HARASSMENT OF THEIR LEADERS

PRESS STATEMENT

The Socialist Party of Nigeria (SPN), Ogun State Chapter, condemns in strong terms the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) led government in Ogun State, over its refusal to honor the agreement the state government freely went into with the Ogun State Wing of Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) on Monday 30^th November, 2009, on the implementation of Teachers Enhance Allowance, which is 27.5% of the salary. This irresponsible action by the government has now led to an avoidable strike; as the state chapter of the teachers union has been forced join their counterparts in 17 states in an industrial action beginning from June 1^st 2013.

This strike action has led to closure of public schools in the state, which are attended by the poor working people children whose parents cannot afford private school education. The top government officials, whose failure to meet teachers’ demands has caused the strike, however, send their wards to expensive private schools home or abroad in most cases with looted public funds.  

It would be recalled that the National Executive Council (NEC) of the NUT, at a recent meeting held in Asaba, Delta State , directed its State Wings whose governments have refused to honour the 27.5% Teachers Enhance Allowance and in some cases the 18,000 Minimum wage to teachers to commence a stay-at-home strike with effects from the 1^st of June 2013. The affected states are Ogun, Osun, Ekiti, Oyo, Edo, Benue, Cross River, Abia, Nassarawa, Ebonyi , Zamfara, Plateau, Borno,Kogi, Niger,Sokoto and Taraba states.

It is particularly shameful that the state governments controlled by the ACN that claimed to be a progressive party with much touted claims of workers friendliness and free education policies, have shown no qualms about punishing teachers by denying them their right to pay and conditions

Indeed, apart from refusing to implement Teachers Enhance Allowance, the Ogun State ACN government has been unrelenting in its attacks on teachers’ welfare conditions. The teachers, especially the primary school teachers, have had to bear continuous late payment of salary, whenever the government chooses to pay and the non-payment of 30% Christmas Bonus, which was paid to their local government counterparts.

Other attacks suffered by teachers in the state are non-payment of promotion arrears till date; deliberate stagnation of teachers on same salary Grade Level in both primary and secondary schools;   delay in harmonization of salaries of teachers in both primary and secondary schools to correct obvious lopsidedness in promotion prospects; and withholding of deductions from teachers salary meant for cooperative and other schemes planned towards retirement.

 All attempts by the State Wing Executive Council (SWEC) of NUT to reach amicable resolutions with the government on the issues raised were arrogantly rebuffed. This prompted SWEC to resolve at a meeting held on Wednesday 8^th May, 2013, to join the strike as directed by the national leadership.  It is worthy of note, that state government rather than address the issues that led to the strike in the first place, has now resorted to threats, false propaganda and outright intimidation calculated to force the teachers back to classrooms. 

We of the Socialist Party of Nigeria (SPN) Ogun State Chapter call on Governor Ibikunle Amosu to stop intimidation and harassment of SWEC members forthwith, and rather commence immediately the payment of 27.5% Teachers Enhance Allowance to teachers in the state, while opening up channels of communication with SWEC as to how and when other demands  will be met. 

We call on the teachers union not to limit the strike to a mere stay-at-home action. They should organise mass activities like rallies, public meetings and mass circulation of leaflets to sensitize the public on their demands and mobilize mass support for the strike. We also call on Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and other trade unions as well as pro-masses organizations to support the teachers with various solidarity actions. 

This utter insensibility to the plights of workers by various state governments across the federation, regardless of party afflictions, has again underscored the fact that as long as these money-bag capitalist politicians and their parties remain in power, with their anti-poor policies and conduct, this current rot and crisis in the system would continue. For a complete break, we call on workers and youths to join and build the SPN as a formidable working people alternative to wrest power from corrupt and anti-poor capitalist elements in order to guarantee adequate deployment of the resources of the society for the benefit of working people and the poor as well as socio-economic development of the society.

Eko John Nicholas

Protem State Secretary

Socialist Party of Nigeria (SPN)

Ogun State Chapter

SPN FORMALLY LAUNCHED IN OYO STATE WITH A SYMPOSIUM

Participants Join the Party

By Iseru Ebike

On May 29, 2013, the Socialist Party of Nigeria (SPN) Oyo state chapter was formally launched with a public symposium held at the state secretariat of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Iyaganku, Ibadan.

The symposium, which held on the day set aside by the Federal Government to mark the anniversary of the return to civil rule and tagged as "Democracy Day", was attended largely by working class people, especially civil servants and artisans, and students. Also in attendance were socialists, labour and civil society activists, from within and outside the state. 

The Labour and civil society organizations represented at the symposium were Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Joint Action Front (JAF), National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Voters Assembly, Nigerian Union of Pensioners (NUP), Academic Staff Union of Polytechnic (ASUP), workers from Institute of Agricultural Research and Training (IAR & T), and media practitioners.

Those who spoke at the occasion were Comrade Segun Sango ( Protem National Chairperson of SPN); Laoye Sanda, a leading socialist activist; Dr. Segun Ajiboye, Chairman ASUU-UI branch; Dr. Demola Aremu, (ASUU National Treasurer), Comrade Alfred Adegoke (Protem Chairman Osun State SPN), Abiodun Aremu (National Secretary of the Joint Action Front (JAF) and Moshhod Erubami (the convener, Voters assembly).

Invited Speakers

 The symposium started with solidarity songs led by comrade Abbey Trotsky, the SPN Protem Secretary in the state, who also doubled as the moderator of the meeting. Thereafter, Segun Sango gave a brilliant introduction on the theme of the symposium which is 14 years of civil rule and the monumental failure of the Nigerian ruling elite: a call for a socialist alternative.

Sango convincingly argued that only socio-economy system in which the commanding heights of the economy is nationalized and placed under a democratic workers' control and management is capable of taking Nigeria in particular and the world in general out of the economic woods that we are currently circling in. He questioned the rationale behind the system in which the working class is effectively alienated from the wealth created by their labour. He concluded that capitalism, especially the brand in the backward nations like Nigeria characterized by so much primitive accumulation, can no longer engender progress in society. 

Given the existing objective condition, Sango maintained that the time is now more than ever for the working class to urgently begin to pose the question of political power through an independent workers political platform that would base itself on the correct socialist perspective. He therefore called on the workers' movements to embrace the SPN as a vehicle of struggle towards achieving the desires and aspirations of the poor and oppressed Nigerian masses. 

Segun Sango, Protem National Chairperson of SPN

He also drew attention of the participants to the current challenges of registering the party with INEC, one of which is the fact to have on the national executive individuals from at least two-third of the states of the federation. To surmount this INEC undemocratic requirements, Sango called for the full participation and involvement of workers, youths, students and artisans in the activities of SPN which by its tradition would continue to remain active in struggles and agitations geared towards winning necessary improvement in the lives of the masses and at the same time expose the deceit and bankruptcy of the ruling elites. 

Every other lead speaker also correctly painted the gloomy, but real picture of appalling living conditions of the poor masses and infrastructure decay as result of anti-poor policies of thieving government at all level. The general submission was that, as long as the political scenes continue to be dominated by capitalist ruling elites which constitute all political parties in Nigeria today, there existed no prospect for the Nigerian poor masses! 

In his own submission, Dr Demola Aremu specifically called on participants to join the SPN in its quest to create a better Nigerian society. He urged workers to shed themselves of any illusion that any of the bourgeois parties (PDP, ACN etc) can improve their conditions of living. He cited the example of the consensus among these parties not to implement the national minimum wage as a clear case of gang up against the interests of workers. He lauded the initiative of the SPN at this time in our history as a nation. That, the need for a party like SPN that will provide equal access to all irrespective of status is more germane now than ever!

The event experienced a lively contributions, comments and questions session which saw participants seeking clarifications and making comments on issues raised during the proceedings. Appreciation was given by the representative of the IAR&T workers on the role played by SPN members during the struggle to reclaim their unpaid hazard allowance. He informed the gathering that the struggle is being resolved in favour of the workers.

Generally, the event echoed the aspirations and desires of the oppressed strata of Nigeria. It presented an alternative to the deceitful gathering of the ruling elites. It also presented a clear demand on behalf of the working people and called on the workers, youths, artisans and genuine progressives to join with the initiators of the SPN to build an alternative political platform that will continually represent the welfare of the entire masses. 

Participants at the Symposium

 Sixty nine participants signed the attendance register, out of which 15 indicated interest to join SPN and collected a membership form. 8 copies of the SPN Manifesto and Constitution were sold while a struggle fund of N1, 240 was realized. 

Meanwhile, a three-person committee, comprised of Folorunso Ajala, Protem Chairperson; Abiodun Bamgboye, Protem Secretary; and Veronica Adeyanju, Protem Women Leader, has been set up by the members to steer the activities of the party in the state in the interim.

Abia state: Unrelenting Attacks on Working People and the Poor

Join SPN Today!

By Chinedu Agbebire

Different governments in the South-east Nigeria, irrespective of political parties (PDP or APGA), have in common the anti-poor policies, programmes and activities, in addition to wastages and corruption at the expense of the welfare of the working people and social infrastructure. But arguably the neo-liberal attacks seem to be more virulent in Abia state than the other south-eastern states of Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo. 

The state of things in Abia is a direct reflection of the ruling elites' commitment to enslaving the people, a situation reminiscent of biblical Israelites in bondage in Egypt. Nothing is fundamentally working out; no light, no water, no security, no social infrastructure, in fact no life. This is well demonstrated in many strikes embarked by the workers, particularly the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) Abia state chapter. The teachers went on strike over non payment of their salaries. Abia state polytechnic workers have gone on strike before it was recently beheaded. Unfortunately all these strikes were called off without the workers' demands fully met.

Instead of the government fundamentally addresing the problems and meeting the workers' demands, the government is busy peddling lies around and keeps denying owing workers. But if at all there is any payment of salaries it has been simply chaotic. For instance, according to a teacher, "whenever they owe us for three months, on the fourth month, they will pay one month's salary to prevent us from going on strike … even the long time approved minimum wage has accumulated as we are yet to receive the salaries from before the approval … Abia state teachers have been neglected. Issues concerning salaries, leave allowances are not mentioned anymore … The last time I was paid was in February, that was when I was paid my November salary and since then we have been waiting for our December salary… when we are even promoted, our new salaries are not usually implemented." (Premium Times, March 9 2013). 

However, the attacks are not peculiar to workers alone, traders, peasants, students and all other sections of the poor masses have had their own fair share. Presently, the most glaring one in the state is the violent and unbridled demolition of poor traders' shades, slums, and shops without adequate compensation or alternative, particularly in the commercial city of Aba. This is done in the name of urban planning and beautification while the fundamental issues concerning the welfare of the working people are left unaddressed.

To intensify the attack on the living condition of the suffering masses, the government introduced different extorting policies through levy, tax, fees etc. In Aba, heavy taxes are imposed on houses and shops in the name of Physical Planning and Infrastructural Development Fund. Worse still, the government does not use its legitimate machinery to collect these fees. It rather employs the services of thugs who do not only intimidate people but also wreak havoc in the process. A sanitation fee is forcefully collected from people who dispose wastes themselves in the nearest bush but have never set their eyes on a government waste bin van. Yet, there has been nothing fundamentally to show for the infrastructure levy collected from the masses.

In continuation of its attack on public education the state government embarked on a brazen mass privatization of public schools. This will deteriorate the condition of teachers through retrenchment by the private owners. In addition to privatized public school is the mushrooming of private school as a result of under-funding and neglect of public education. In other words, the private schools have developed to fill and exploit the vacuum created by the failure of government, though with ultimate aim of profit maximization. But the government which has abandoned education is out to make huge money off the private schools. The nursery and primary schools for instance have been asked to pay the whopping sum of N150, 000 per year or face closure. This attack has forced some of the affected proprietors to form a union known as Amalgamated Grassroots Union of Private Schools Owners AGUPSO. Sadly, on account of the failure of government to provide adequate and quality public schools as alternative to the private schools more of the burden of heavy taxation of AGUPSO will be borne by the parents, most of them with poor income. 

It is therefore imperative for the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and pro-masses' organizations in Abia state to immediately begin to fight against the privatization of schools; agitate for the return of already privatized schools into public ownership and adequate funding of public schools to the extent of guaranteeing free and quality public education. It is this that will ensure that the children of the poor have access to quality education and discourage patronization of private schools. Unfortunately, the PDP government in Abia does not care about the poor. This is why it does not provide public education but heavily tax the private schools which are also patronized by the poor for lack of alternative.

However, this monumental failure and economic attacks are not peculiar to Abia state alone; it cuts across all the states of the federation irrespective of the political parties in power. All the capitalist parties are united against the working people and the poor. Already, many working masses are desirous of a radical change but are at loss on how to go about it. This was clearly demonstrated in our interaction with workers at May Day rallies particularly in River state. Some workers were exceptionally happy at the introduction of Socialist party of Nigeria (SPN) programme, manifesto and ideas. This shows that they are already tired of the present state of things. 

But being tired alone is not the solution, identifying the actual cause of their misery is very important. The real cause of all these absurdities is the capitalist system of economy presently practiced in Nigeria and all over the world which is incapable of meeting the needs and aspirations of the people. This system of economy is ultimately responsible for the suffering of the working masses in the midst of plenty. Capitalism only guarantees the betterment of tiny 1% over 99%. The system alongside its methods of operation like privatization, commercialization, Public Private Partnership etc, are the fraudulent ways through which the tiny few enjoy to the detriment of majority. If there must be change, there must be system change. Ordinary change of political parties is not a fundamental step towards a genuine change. Unfortunately all the political parties in Nigeria today, the PDP, ACN, CPC, APGA, NNPC and even the new purported united opposition party APC, are not radically different in activities, program and mission. They all subscribe to the same anti-poor capitalist system of economy.

In the absence of a mass working people built on a socialist program, the Democratic Socialist Movement (DSM) came up with the initiative of forming the Socialist Party of Nigeria (SPN) as the alternative party for workers, youths and the poor as a genuine path to bring about genuine change in Nigeria. The party aims to put an end to anti-poor capitalist policies and use the resources of the society for the benefit of the working people. The commanding heights of economy should be under public ownership with democratic control of the working people. This would ensure the mobilization of adequate resources for implementation of pro-working people program and massive infrastructure development. Elected and appointed political office holders on the platform of the party shall only earn the average salaries of the civil servants in addition to incidental expenses which are verifiable and donate the rest to the party and mass organizations of the working people. If the party (SPN) is in total control, savings from not paying jumbo salaries to political office holders shall be ploughed back for developmental programs. We therefore call on all change seeking Nigerians to join SPN for total and positive transformation of Nigeria.

“Democracy Day”: Celebrating 14 Years of Monumental Failure

Press Statement

Fourteen years into the current civil rule has, apart from the removal of direct military dictatorship, has almost completely failed to meet the hopes and aspirations of the working masses. Even the limited democratic rights which have been enjoyed during these years are being challenged as the government moves towards more authoritarian methods and a growing reliance on the security forces to enforce its rule. These years have been a monumental failure for the capitalist ruling elite in Nigeria who have been shown to be incapable in the areas of social services like education, health care, etc and infrastructural development. This is in spite of the fact the period since the end of military rule witnessed the longest run of oil windfall in the history of Nigeria.  In other words, the country has amassed very huge oil and gas revenue much more than any period since the discovery of the oil at commercial quantity.  But there has been nothing fundamental to show for it in term of social services and infrastructure development. 

This is as a result of the tightening grip of capitalist globalization and the ruling class’s prevailing neo-liberal philosophy which discourages social spending and prioritises commercialization and privatization under the guise of private-sector driven economy. This itself enhances the propensity for corruption as the huge revenue at the disposal of the government is not primarily meant to be spent on the welfare of the people. Therefore the money is just there for looting.  It is not accidental that governance in this country is synonymous with corruption. Even when money is allocated to a sector or project it is not sincerely used for the public good but to gratify the greedy top government functionaries and their fronts called contractors. The refineries' turn around maintenance, power and road projects under the Obasanjo government readily come to minds as one of the several examples of colossal looting of the treasury under the guise of infrastructural development.

The oil wealth has made Nigeria a fertile ground for the viable growth of parasitic capitalist ruling elite who don't invest in production, apart from where they can make quick profits like food, but pour money into campaigns for public offices where their looting makes a huge profit at the expense of the poor and working people. This together with the poor state of infrastructure accounts for why the so-called economic growth has not led to job creation and poverty reduction.  The so-called poverty eradication program of the government is not only extremely tokenistic but also another cesspit of corruption. The allocation to education and health care are well below the international recommendations for third world countries. The poor state of the education and health sectors means that the capitalist politicians in power do not patronize public schools and hospitals.  For the simplest of ailment they are off to Europe. More annoyingly, they draw from public resources to settle the bill.

On top of all these is the monumental unemployment situation which has turned Nigeria to a seething time bomb. Youth unemployment is particularly outrageous with over 28 million youths estimated to be unemployed. The youth unemployment situation contributes largely to the ethno-religious crisis of Boko Haram, kidnapping and armed robbery rocking the nation. A million State of Emergency declarations will fail to end this cycle of terrorism, violence and bloodletting unless government begins to invest in social programs to create real and well-paid jobs. Indeed not just the North eastern states, several forms of ethno-religious crisis can occur in every part of the country given the level of anger, frustration and discontent of the big youth population which feel increasingly alienated and abandoned by society. 

Instead of stealing billions of our collective resources under the guise of fighting Boko Haram, we challenge the clueless Jonathan government to declare, as a minimum let's say 200, 000 permanent job offers on a living wage to youths in the North irrespective of education qualifications and let’s see if Boko Haram will continue to have enough fighters ready to die for their reactionary objective of a sharia state. This is because any youth who has a job has a future - which is what majority of frustrated youths being recruited by Boko Haram in the North and other violent groups elsewhere lack. But the Goodluck Jonathan government will not take this step because it is far more profitable to the politicians and their contractor friends to continue push through this official genocide called state of emergency instead of creating jobs and other social amenities that can give the youths of this country a bright future.

This is why the Socialist Party of Nigeria (SPN) is using the occasion of May 29 "Democracy Day" celebration to call for a socialist change in Nigeria. There must be an end to the neo-liberal capitalist program of privatisation and commercialisation if the resources of the country can be used for the benefit of the vast majority. The pay and allowance of top government functionaries and all political office holders must be based on the civil service salary structure.  The commanding heights of the economy, (e.g. oil, banks, etc) must be placed under the democratic control of the elected representatives of workers and relevant professionals who are subject to recall by their electors. There must be adequate allocation to education, health care and public works together with their democratic running with the elected representatives of workers and relevant professionals, subject to recall by their electors, on committees and organs at all levels. 

 

The fact is the capitalist ruling elites and their parties cannot support or implement those measures.  They have to be voted out of power.  This is why we have been canvassing for the formation of a mass working peoples’ party with a socialist program to contest and wrest political power. In the interim, the SPN is being formed to contest election on socialist program and work towards formation of a mass working peoples' party.  Until such party is built and wins political power the situation, on the basis of neo-liberal capitalist program, can only get worse for the working people and the poor. The future is bleak for the vast majority. 

Segun Sango

Protem National Chairperson

Socialist Party of Nigeria