By Victor AhiumaYoung

The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, is getting increasingly concerned over health and safety issues at workplaces across the country.

According to NLC: “Our members do not want to go to work to die. We want to leave our places of work better than we came.

President of NLC, Joe Ajaero, raised NLC’s concerns while addressing the 67th Annual General Meeting, AGM, of the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association, NECA, in Lagos.

The NLC President said: “One of the pillars of a thriving industrial relations framework is the assurance of safety and health in our workplaces. It is our collective responsibility to ensure that every worker returns home safely at the end of each workday. 

“By prioritizing workplace safety and health, we not only protect our most valuable assets—our workers—but also enhance productivity and operational efficiency.

“We cannot afford the repeat of the unfortunate Ikorodu fire incident where several Nigerian workers were roasted in fire. We have to take serious measures to avert the various mounting injuries in our workplaces. 

“Our members do not want to go to work to die. We want to leave our places of work better than we came. We are sure that we are all committed to ensuring that this happens. 

“Safety in the place of work is safety for all including the owner of the business and those who run it. The struggle for more Decent work compliant workplaces is truly the struggle to secure the investments in various businesses by our employers. It is not a struggle solely for workers but for your members. 

“We are completely assured that we are on the same page on this. We should therefore be on the same page in other issues. Let us recommit to addressing conflicts through constructive and non-violent means, setting a positive example for future generations.”

The NLC President sought the cooperation of employers, adding “once again extends her hands of fellowship to you and call for a closer walk with you so that we can continue to work together. It is important to allow the nation’s resources to be distributed in such a way that our nation grows sustainably. “