Cameroon was the world’s most productive country in 2022 with an average employee productivity of 94.1%; while Nigeria was the third least productive country (47.7%). This was the outcome of a research carried out and published by DeskTime. As revealed in the published research work, the most productive country in Europe was Spain with average productivity of 89.8% (in 8th position globally) while the USA was the 15th most productive country in the world (87.3%). On the down side, Nigeria chose ranks with Iran (the least productive, (38.6%) and Mongolia (41.9%). No one should be surprised by this revelation; not with the kind of Nigeria’s public sector that is characterized by poor work ethics, inflated contracts, employment scams and other social ills that are now as rampant as invading locusts and grasshoppers in dried savannah.
Productivity is measured by how efficiently inputs (labour, capital and raw materials) are converted into outputs. According to the ILO’s view on decent work for sustainable development, productivity is about how efficiently resources are used (measured in terms of all factors of production combined), to generate output, or value added, divided by the amount of labour used to generate that output. With this classification, it is no secret that government employees and officials in Nigeria have less regard for efficiency. They are not only poor in resource management, their attitudes to work make many to ask if they really value time or have regards for performance. Lateness to work, indolence, inflated costs, demands for higher pay with no commensurate productivity, misappropriation and lack of empathy for entrusted public purse, poor management of public assets, nepotism, sense of entitlement and opportunism now characterize Nigeria’s public sector.
READ ALSO:
Suspect admits to disappearing man’s manhood, promises to return it by 4pm
Moyo Lawal says leaked s3x video shared without her consent, threatens legal action
Tribunal sacks Imo PDP House of Reps member, orders complementary election within 90 days
According to Dr. Patton, when there is no consequence for poor work ethic and no reward for good work ethic, there’s no motivation (Authentic Leadership: Inside The Mind Of Dr. Patton). The revelations at the ongoing probes by the House of Representatives’ Ad-Hoc Committees led credence to the brutal Nigeria’s low level productivity mentioned above. What about the revelation that a contractor accusing the works ministry of inflating a 41-kilometre road project from ₦9 to ₦54 Billion, a project that was supposed to be completed within two years but has been brought to a standstill for over five years after its award (where an Ibadan politician was fingered to be responsible for frustration of the project execution). Also the employment scam whereby a former IPPIS desk officer owned up to the allegation of collecting money from job seekers in exchange for employment. Not a few MDAs are alleged to be involved in this rip-off. Also a statement credited to former President Olusegun Obasanjo says, “when I was military head of state, we ordered 19 new ships to be built for the Nigerian National Shipping Line (NNSL), which was owned by the federal government. We had about five at the time, and with 19, we were to have 24 ships. We took delivery of some before we left office. President Shehu Shagari took delivery of the remaining balance. When I returned after 20 years, the shipping line had been liquidated. Not one ship left”. What about the Nigeria Airways?
In the research work published by I-Project on causes of low productivity by public service workers in Nigeria, it is written: “especially in the public service today, there is relatively low level of productivity as most of the personnel are not putting in their best; some are idle, others come late to work and still others are absent from work without permission. There is general laxity amongst workers who believe that government work is nobody’s work”. It is with this poor attitude to work and abysmal productivity that the public sector labour unions are always asking for higher pay and always embarking on strike actions to force their demands. No or low productivity and demands for higher pay? What an antithesis! Still, why do Nigerian employees always rejoice whenever public holidays are announced? These attitudes combined may not be unconnected with the reward system whereby a wage or salary is paid monthly notwithstanding the productivity level of the employees. Obviously, monthly salary payment is a system that rewards indolence and underperformance. This is a cogent explanation why Nigeria is too weak in production and cannot withstand competition in the world market. In other countries, especially the developed economies, wages are paid per hour of productive work.
In view of the incessant labour agitations for higher pay and the humongous allowances for government officials despite low productivity, it is now very pertinent that Nigeria’s reward system is reviewed without further delay. As a certified trainer for the ILO’s Start and Improve Your Business SMEs development programme, it is a must that a business owner or an entrepreneur knows what to pay (or is paid) for a hour’s labour. In other words, an employee should know what he earns per hour; and possibly should earn per hour that he is productive. That this pay system is what obtains in the developed economies, and employees are at peace with it, means Nigeria needs to urgently and decisively put a stop to resource wastages. To check gratuitous unionism, lockdowns or strike actions, it should be clear to every employee that it is a serious disservice to self by not working but earning pay. When there is no productivity, when there is no efficient use of inputs for optimum value in outputs, there is nothing to pay with. Nigerian employees need to know this, understand this and accept this.
Ola Emmanuel is a business planning consultant
Follow The Eagle Online Channel on WhatsApp
