Labour to Int’l Community: Nigerian workers’ condition worsening

By Victor Ahiuma-Young, reporting from Geneva, Switzerland

Geneva: ORGANISED Labour, yesterday in Geneva, Switzerland, told the international community that the worsening conditions of Nigerian workers were getting out of hand.

Speaking through the President of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Mr.  Ayuba Wabba, labour blamed the high and increasing cost of living, rising number of dependants given the deepening unemployment situation, low social protection coverage, delayed payment of salaries, among others, for the situation.

According to him:  “We wish to state that the situation of the working poor in Nigeria continues to be dire and exacerbating. It is for these reasons that we have demanded and achieved the composition of the tripartite national minimum wage committee to deliver an upward review.

“We also wish to state that migration, as an unstoppable human phenomenon, will require broad-based collaboration, especially as we seek to ensure shared migration benefits. For Nigeria and Africa, our demographic trends suggest that we will require assistance on youth’s skills development and employment creation opportunities.”

Wabba also highlighted labour’s belief in the values and efficacy of dialogue, saying, “It is in this regard that we commend the continuous dialogue by the government with our people in the Niger Delta. This is yielding good results as sabotaging of petroleum facilities has substantially reduced and economic activities in the region are picking up. Organised labour will continue to encourage and support the dialogue process as well as monitor the progress.”

Wabba reiterated that Nigerian workers were worried about the huge Illicit Financial Flows, IFF, from Africa, adding, “The African Union has established that a very conservative figure of $60 billion leaves Africa annually through IFF activities. Nigeria is making efforts to implement Recommendation 202 (social protection floors) as one of the tools to tackle poverty and inequality amongst her people and communities.

“But resource mobilisation challenges for financing development persist. It is known that our chances at achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are greater if IFFs activities are halted and the leaking revenues channeled to government coffers to support public services delivery.”

He added  “We wish to salute the efforts of the Nigerian government and the Joint Multinational Task Force on the determined collaborative efforts that has led to improved security and the downgrading of the capabilities of Boko Haram to wreak havoc on our people. We equally salute the courage and compassion of the Nigerian government to negotiate the release of another 82 of the kidnapped Chibok girls. Nigerian government and security agencies will continue to enjoy our support as they work to ensure the release of all kidnapped persons and the total liberation of the ensure communities in North-East Nigeria.”

 

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