Rivers State Governor, Rt Hon Chibuike Amaechi yesterday berated labour for being too lax over the drifting leadership in the country.
Speaking at the Workers Day rally at Isaac Boro Park in Port Harcourt the Chairman of Nigeria Governors Forum(NGF) challenged labour to rise to the challenge of seeking better governance for Nigerians.
He said, “Nigerians will not change until labour unions and students, and ordinary man take their destiny in their hands”.
The  governor further said  “ there has not been any successful democracy in Nigeria without the  contribution of NLC and TUC. Remember Abacha’s struggle and remember the roles played by NLC and TUC. Now what is happening currently is frightening to me and so I have decided to stay in my house and allow you to do what you want to do’’.
Amaechi who expressed worry over the swelling corruption and labour failure to hold politicians accountable, attributed the rising  cases of kidnap and violence in the North to social inequality,” if you listened to the speech of the chairman of the Trade Union Congress(TUC) he said the reason for which kidnapping is around is the presence of social inequality, social injustice. Few Nigerians just sit down and cart away our money and then you think that we will not die of hunger and because there is hunger in the land there is bound to be violence. The fact that they are stealing the money leads to social and economic violence’’.
He therefore called on labour to act saying Nigerians need those who will speak for them and rise to the challenge of seeking better governance.
The governor also called on labour and Nigerians to seek  free and fair elections, and  to resist rigging hinting that the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) should be voted out as a result of poor leadership.
The governor however thanked the labour leaders and all unions for their support for his administration and assured them of government assistance especially in the welfare of workers.
In his address, Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress(NLC), Chief Chris Oruge said the theme of this year’s May Day,”Building Enduring Peace and Unity: Panecea for Sustainable National Development” was chosen to promote peace considering the current state of insecurity in the country.
He called on the Federal Government to put in place policies that will reduce unemployment and indirectly check the spate of violence and restiveness in the country.
His TUC counterpart, Comrade Chika Onuegbu underscored peace as a major ingredient for sustainable development in the country.
Comrade Onuegbu said  that corruption and abuse of power were major causes of the current insecurity adding that the situation requires urgent action of all Nigerians.
He insisted that the federal government must lead the way in finding a lasting solution to the problem.
“There is no better alternative to peace we must reconcile ourselves, live together and live in harmony”, Onuegbu remarked.