Slave Driving In The Private Sector

Its a hand-to-mouth situation over here. People work and work beyond normal work hours without overtime allowance, salaries are unapologetically not paid as at when due, no healthcare provisions yet they are fired without benefits and employers are not held liable.



Alot of small-medium sized organisations in Nigeria do not adhere to policies. They do not remit the correct tax (in some cases not at all), no pension, no health insurance, no benefit and absolutely nonchalant about staff welfare and they get away with it because people adjust and accept bad treatment for fear of losing their jobs. Employers carry themselves as demi-gods, mistreating workers, hiring and firing at will.


The Nigerian government/constitution has made provisions that are not being enforced which leaves me wondering what responsible government agencies that were setup to take care of workers welfare are actually doing. How about Trade Union Congress and the Nigerian Labour Congress?

Just as FIRS is working to sanitize the system what is restraining PENCOM? I mean especially if you consider its role in national development and in securing the future of Nigerian workers.

Personally, I once reported a former employer to PENCOM and while I was still there no action was taking. I wonder how many other complaints would have gone unattended to but we can call them out on social media both the offenders and the regulators need to sit up. If not, what is the essence of making laws if there is no enforcement plan?

I wait for answers.