May Day: Labour Laments Rising Insecurity; Nigerian Workers Demand Improved Welfare …Amaechi Tasks Labour On Corruption, Injustice

The Organized Labour in Rivers State has lamented the high level of insecurity and killings in the country.
Speaking at this year’s May Day celebration at Isaac Boro Park, Port Harcourt, State Chairman, Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Chika Onuegbu said the May Day, also known as International Workers’ Day is an annual holiday celebrated all over the world to mark the economic and social achievements of workers.
Onuegbu said the event should be used as an opportunity for the workers to reflect on the many sacrifices of working people in the struggle for freedom dignity, social justice and egalitarian society.
He said the theme of this year’s celebration, “Building Enduring Peace and Unity: Panacea for Sustainable National Development”, which is at the core value of the Organized Labour Unionism was apt because it encourages the consciousness of oneness while reflecting soberly on the challenges ahead.
He said that peace was not just in the absence of war, or some détente, but epitomised by the atmosphere of tolerance, harmonious co-existence and social justice which are necessary for sustainable national development in the country.
The Labour Leader said peace is at the epicentre of personal and national development, stressing that it provides the basis for sustainable national development.
He likened the relationship between peace and sustainable development to two-way traffics, adding that there cannot be any sustainable national development, without peace.
Onuegbu said the organized Labour has noted that hardly does any day pass in the country without the report of a major violent crime or massacre of Nigerians by Nigerians or coordinated by Nigerians.
He said Labour was deeply saddened that life in the country has become nasty brutish and short, and likened the situation to that of Somalia and Afghanistan.
He said this general insecurity has also seriously increased the cost of doing business in the country, diverted investments and negatively impacted on the already bad unemployment and poverty situations in the country.
The union boss said the violent conflicts and senseless killings across the country will continue to deny Nigeria the highly needed Foreign direct investments (FDIs) and development.
He urged the Labour Leaders to accept that the situation in the country now requires the active collaboration of all Nigerians irrespective of religious, political and ideological inclination.
In Osogbo, Osun, the workers called for improved welfare package and prompt payment of salaries.
A cross section of public and private workers told newsmen in Osogbo that their current monthly emoluments hardly took them home.
They said that only attractive salary, good working condition, training and retraining of workers could guarantee enhanced productivity.
The Osun NLC Chairman, Alhaji Saka Adeiyan called for a review of the salary structure of workers in both public and private sectors so as to meet the present economic situation in the country.
Adesiyan said that if there was an increased in the workers’ salaries, it would enhance productivity as well as improve the standard of living of workers.
He said better salary structure as well as good work environment would go a long way in assisting workers to meet their responsibilities.
A civil servant, Mrs Sherifat Balogun said government must ensure prompt payment of salaries and better working condition for workers.
“We want to use this year workers’ day celebration to appeal to the state government to see to prompt payment of salaries as well as better work condition,” Balogun urged.
On his part, TUC Chairman in the state, Mr. Oladele Adetunji criticised casualisation of workers in some government establishments and the private sector.
Adetunji said the union would continue to struggle for better working conditions for employees.
He also said that the union would resist attempts by government or private organisations in preventing their employees from unionism.
In Dutse, the NLC called on the Federal Government and other parties to embrace dialogue as a lasting solution to the security challenges facing the country.
The NLC Chairman, Mr Sulaiman Adamu, made the call in his speech at the 2014 May Day celebration in Dutse.
“Due to the insecurity ravaging the country, especially the North, we call on the Federal Government and other parties involved to embrace dialogue in order to bring lasting solution.
“They should consider the lives and property of the people above their interests so as to allow peace to reign,’’ Adamu said.
Adamu said the state NLC suspended holding rally and any form of celebration in order to sympathise with the parents of abducted Chibok secondary school girls and Nyanya blast victims.
He said the congress had reviewed the performance of the state government in the last one year, and acknowledged that it had provided adequate working materials and training of civil servants.
The chairman described the performance of the state government as “remarkable”, saying that it had created conducive working environment for the civil servants.
Adamu, however, urged the government to employ more youths in the state so as to fill the vacuum created by retirement and death of civil servants.
Meanwhile, the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), has urged workers to be hopeful for a better nation in spite of the challenges facing the country.
This is contained in statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday by the President of CAN, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor.
He congratulated the workers for their solidarity and contributions to the development of Nigeria.
“On behalf of CAN and my family, I wish to congratulate millions of Nigerian workers on the occasion of Workers Day 2014.
“The situation in the country today may not be one that brings much joy to the mind of the Nigerian worker.
“But I urge all workers not to despair but to have faith in their beloved country and continue to work hard for peace, unity and development.
“The message on this occasion is one of hope, unity, understanding and support for our great country because we do not have another country of our own.’’
He urged workers to see the present challenges as surmountable hurdles to the nation’s quest for greatness.
The president called on Nigerians to remain resolute and steadfast in their service to humanity and to God, regardless of the temptations, assuring them that God was in control.
“Our society is confronted with a myriad of problems ranging from social, economic, religious and political issues that require the commitment and prayers of all citizens.

“The challenges are numerous but not insurmountable, we may face difficulties today but I can assure you that God is on the throne’’, said the statement.
It stressed that in times like this, Christians and Muslims must not relent to pray to God for His intervention.
It appealed to workers not to succumb to the antics of divisive elements in the country, particularly the insurgents, no matter the provocation.
Oritsejafor, in the statement, prayed to God to continue to console the families of deceased workers that lost their lives in the Nyanya bomb blast and to grant the injured a speedy recovery.
He said CAN would continue to identify with workers by making case for better working environment/conditions.
“CAN will continue to identify with the Nigerian worker regardless of their social, religious or political status.
“We will continue to support them through their unions and associations.
The statement called for support for security agencies to end the menace of terrorism in parts of the country and called for calm as government continued to tackle the situation.
It, however, called for a review of strategies to quickly end the ‘reign of terror’ in parts of Nigeria.
CAN recently donated N500,000 to the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN), for its members recuperating from the Nyanya bomb explosion.

L-R: President, Court of Appeal, Justice Zainab Bulkachuwa, a retiring Supreme Court Judge, Justice Christopher Chukwuma-Eneh and his wife, Mariam, at the Valedictory Court Session in Honour of Justice Chukwuma-Eneh at the Supreme Court in Abuja, on Wednesday.

Philip Okparaji