BY VICTOR AHIUMA-YOUNG & OKEY NDIRIBE

ORGANISED Labour in Nigeria at Nigeria’s 51stIndependence anniversary asked the nation’s political leaders to abandon personal aggrandizement and lead Nigeria on the path of progress and development, even as it kicked against creation of more states in country.

Under the umbrella of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and its Trade Union of Nigeria, TUC, counterpart,  lamented  the growing insecurity in the country, saying it is a sad reflection on the country’s life and history that on the 51st anniversary of flag independence, the official celebration had to be “low Key” given the state of insecurity in the country.

Labour warned that the federal government must be careful in ensuring that the amnesty instrument and its various processes were not abused in the process of resolving the Boko-Haram insurgency.

NLC and TUC in a separate statements said labour said it was considering a nationwide strike to force full implementation of the N18.000 new minimum wage in the country.

NLC in a statement by its President Comrade Abdulwaheed Omar lamented that it was a sad reflection on the country’s life and history that on the 51st anniversary of flag independence, the official celebration had to be “low Key” given the state of insecurity in the country.

The labour centre advised government to rethink its poverty-inducing policies such as the proposed astronomical increases in the prices of petrol and a 50-100 percent hike in electricity tariff.

NLC in the statement declared that Labour was committed to the full investigation of the privatization racket and that those who committed crimes against the Nigerian people in this programme of prodigals must be brought to justice.

The statement called on “the ruling political elite to have a rethink and lead the country on the path of progress and development.  Nigerians are a courageous and selfless people; there is no challenge we cannot overcome whether by bombers of public places or bombers of our economy and collective wealth.  Nigerians will never give up.”

NLC lauded “the resilience of Nigerians to have come thus far despite difficult challenges mainly due to mis-governance and misuse of our resources over the decades. Even when many foreign countries and analysts predict that the country is on the brink, Nigerians have always bounced back.

We all have a duty to rebuild our country and move it towards paths that would be beneficial to the populace.  This is why the fixation that the private sector is the engine room of the country’s development must be abandoned for a people-oriented policy.”

“On this reflective occasion, we also caution against the creation of more states which is simply the multiplication of the parasitic bureaucracy. It is paralogical for a country with very low production capacity and so much poverty to increase the number of governors, government Houses, Commissioners, Special Advisers and Advisers to Special Advisers in the name of state creation.

Also, those who seek to emasculate Labour by moving it from the exclusive to Concurrent List in the guise of constitution amendment will be stoutly resisted. We will never allow a situation where state and local governments will be allowed to pay Nigerians peanuts in the name of a deregulated Minimum Wage.

Nigerians have a right to a better life; our children have the right to a bright future. To ensure these, the Labour Movement in concert with other democratic forces in the country, will ensure that the Nigerian child has the right to free, qualitative and compulsory education.

We will strive to ensure that the huge cost of governance is drastically reduced; the fundamental rights of Nigerians are respected and that in practice sovereignty will belong to the Nigerian people from whom all powers must flow.

Minimum Wage Implementation

On the implementation of the N18.000 new minimum wage, NLC added, “We are all witnesses to the way the Federal and State governments have turned the implementation of the Minimum Wage into a long drawn and disruptive battle.  The NLC condemns the emergence of lawless governors in a democratic system.

Due to this disregard for the constitution, law and agreements freely entered into with the Labour Movement the country has witnessed and is witnessing de-regulated strikes in many states.”

Given the level of resistance by some governors and the use of thugs against peaceful workers strike in a number of states, the NLC may reconsider its decision not to call a National Strike and mass protests to ensure that the Minimum Wage is implemented in all parts of the country.

On its part, TUC in a statement by its President-General and Secretary-General , Comrade Peter Esele and Chief John Kolawole respectively, said “The growing insecurity in the land has become a nightmare. The numerous bombings and wastages of lives and property going on in the northern states of Nigeria by the Boko Haram sect are unacceptable.

The act is condemnable and there is no justification whatsoever for the rivers of the blood of Nigerians currently being spilled by Boko Haram to be allowed to continue to flow. The fact that it has become sustained not only suggests an orchestration and a strong organisation by those sponsoring the upsurge to spill more innocent Nigerian blood but also, a failure of leadership.”

“The  federal government should see the Boko Haram upsurge as an opportunity to create an enduring, safe and stable society built on the basis of the provision of accessible and affordable Medicare for all, qualitative education, adequate Housing, dignified jobs for the teeming unemployed youth and adequate safety-net for every Nigerian .

We believes that security built solely on the basis of bombs, guns and bullets is but very transient and is a deeper manifestation of exacerbated insecurity and worrying signs of the inability of government to evolve constructive and creative strategy to respond to this current threat to lives and property.

However, the TUC warns that the federal government must be careful in ensuring that the Amnesty instrument and its various processes are not abused in the process of resolving the Boko-Haram insurgency.”