2018 Christmas celebrations may take less cheering dimension as economic hardship bites harder on Nigerians, multinational companies, corporate organisations and traders, investigations by The Tide have revealed.
Findings have shown that the current harsh economic situation in Nigeria is already taking a toll on the activities of some top corporate organisations as most of the firms owe workers several months’ salaries.
Some others, it was gathered, had also told their employees not to expect the usual 13th month salaries and other end of the year gift items and bonuses.
For instance, a source in a top Port Harcourt-based advertising agency told The Tide that the 2018 yuletide would not be the same for employees.
According to him, the poor state of the economy has led to the agency owing its workforce about six months’ wages.
“We are not certain whether we will receive all outstanding salaries and bonuses before Christmas, much less collect several Christmas gifts like bags of rice, other food condiments and 13th month salary as it is done annually. In the last few months, we have been collecting only 30 percent of our salaries and no one can mention gifts or bonuses this year.”
“This is really frustrating because my relatives are expecting gifts from me too and I don’t think I can accommodate such in 2018,” he lamented.
A staff of one of the oil companies along Trans-Amadi Industrial Area of Port Harcourt, Dr Jennifer Addah, is also disturbed that she may not be able to meet the increasing demands of her family this season.
Though, she admitted that the oil firm did not owe salaries, she said all benefits that came with the employees’ end of year bonuses have been cancelled.
She recalled that the employees of the company were usually paid the 13th month salaries with all expenses paid for a family of six for a trip to any European or American country of choice and new generating set among other benefits.
These benefits, according to her, have been cancelled.
She asserts: The children look forward to the trip every year and I really don’t know how to explain to them that it would not take place in 2018. I can afford to pay for the trip but one has to be discerning on what expenses to take or drop because of the porous economy and there is need to plan for greater challenges in the future.”
Meanwhile, a staff of Rivers Vegetable Oil Company Limited, Port Harcourt, who preferred to remain anonymous, also confirmed that business activities had shrunk, which had made most firms reduce operations and workforce.
He said RIVOC neither gave out rice nor frozen foods during yuletide but rather packaged its products it gives to both employees and customers.”
Besides, corporate gifts dealers and artisans are groaning as they complain bitterly of low patronage.

Bethel Toby