The Federation of Informal Workers’ Organizations of Nigeria
(FIWON), representing millions of working people in the informal sectors of the
Nigerian economy, has asked Walmart, the global retail trade giant, not to come
and invest in Nigeria.
(FIWON), representing millions of working people in the informal sectors of the
Nigerian economy, has asked Walmart, the global retail trade giant, not to come
and invest in Nigeria.
Despite the optimism by many, the workers argued that
ordinary people will suffer in the long run. The workers, in an open letter to
President Muhammadu Buhari and Governor Akinwumi Ambode of Lagos State, signed
by Gbenga Komolafe, General Secretary, said they are concerned because millions
of retail businesses including street and market vendors, some of who happen to
be their members face the threat of being displaced from business by this
global behemoth.
ordinary people will suffer in the long run. The workers, in an open letter to
President Muhammadu Buhari and Governor Akinwumi Ambode of Lagos State, signed
by Gbenga Komolafe, General Secretary, said they are concerned because millions
of retail businesses including street and market vendors, some of who happen to
be their members face the threat of being displaced from business by this
global behemoth.
Shelley Broader, President and Chief Executive Officer of
Walmart Incorporated Europe, Middle East, Africa and Canada recently paid a
visit to Governor Ambode in a quest to establish business presence in Nigeria
starting with Lagos. Ambode welcomed the Walmart executives while pledging his
commitment to create “an enabling environment” for the global retail company
because “the presence of the brand in Lagos will go a long way not only to
create jobs for our teeming youths, but also to boost the economy of the
state…”
Walmart Incorporated Europe, Middle East, Africa and Canada recently paid a
visit to Governor Ambode in a quest to establish business presence in Nigeria
starting with Lagos. Ambode welcomed the Walmart executives while pledging his
commitment to create “an enabling environment” for the global retail company
because “the presence of the brand in Lagos will go a long way not only to
create jobs for our teeming youths, but also to boost the economy of the
state…”
However, the workers disagreed. According to them: “As it
is, millions of jobs have been lost in Nigeria in the last two decades as a
result of Nigeria’s extreme open market policy which has turned the country to
a dumping ground of, very often, fake, sub-substandard goods from all over the
world especially, in recent years, China. Given Nigeria’s well known
infrastructural deficiencies, Nigerian manufactured goods stood no chance as
hundreds of factories closed down, rendering millions of Nigerians jobless or
with low paying work in the informal sectors of the economy.”
is, millions of jobs have been lost in Nigeria in the last two decades as a
result of Nigeria’s extreme open market policy which has turned the country to
a dumping ground of, very often, fake, sub-substandard goods from all over the
world especially, in recent years, China. Given Nigeria’s well known
infrastructural deficiencies, Nigerian manufactured goods stood no chance as
hundreds of factories closed down, rendering millions of Nigerians jobless or
with low paying work in the informal sectors of the economy.”
They added that today, in a city like Lagos, easily
Nigeria’s most industrialized enclave, over 80% of the working population
scrape subsistence in the informal economy, a significant percentage of this,
in retail trade in the neighbourhoods and the communities.
Nigeria’s most industrialized enclave, over 80% of the working population
scrape subsistence in the informal economy, a significant percentage of this,
in retail trade in the neighbourhoods and the communities.
Walmart, renowned for its dismal record of systematically
easing out small time retailers in the communities because of its extremely low
wage, undercutting low pricing policy which is made possible by its slave camp
manufacturing plants in South East Asia, will, as the workers argued, easily
uproot local retailers and neighbourhood markets in Lagos.
easing out small time retailers in the communities because of its extremely low
wage, undercutting low pricing policy which is made possible by its slave camp
manufacturing plants in South East Asia, will, as the workers argued, easily
uproot local retailers and neighbourhood markets in Lagos.
They said they were sure of the outcome because of Walmart’s
bad records in the United States of America and also across so many other
countries it operates in. Studies after studies have shown that while Walmart
offers some low paying jobs, it actually uproots several more people from their
retail business, than it offers its poverty wage jobs, the workers revealed.
bad records in the United States of America and also across so many other
countries it operates in. Studies after studies have shown that while Walmart
offers some low paying jobs, it actually uproots several more people from their
retail business, than it offers its poverty wage jobs, the workers revealed.
Pm News
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